Headmaster Snape
by Amarti
Summary: What if the Board of Governors had been paying attention? AU after OOTP.
1. Succession

_Hello again, friends._

_Hope you enjoy this one. Unlike my previous stories, this one does NOT have a completed draft. I have it all planned and outlined, however. It's going to be a long one; I just don't know how long yet. We'll get there when we get there. My updates won't be as frequent as they were for JTB; this will probably be updated every other week or so (if we're lucky and RL cooperates). The first six chapters are already finished._

_I consider my attempts to use British spelling to be a failed experiment, so American spelling will be used. British diction and syntax will remain._

_Comments welcome and encouraged._

_Rated M for language and intense situations. Lemon free; just fill in the gaps with your imaginations._

* * *

"You think you're very clever, don't you?"

Severus Snape turned around to see Minerva McGonagall bearing down on him like she meant business, despite the fact she still relied on a cane. "Taking names" is what he called it in his head. And it had been many, many years since he'd been on the receiving end of that look.

"Of course I do, Minerva, but why should that upset you?"

"Don't play with me," she said, falling into step next to him. He slowed his pace to accommodate her; she was still recovering from the attack on her several weeks prior. "Not that I think you have anything to do with this, of course. I know you too well."

"With what?"

"You're on your way to see Albus, aren't you?"

Severus nodded.

"Then he should be the one to tell you. But don't think for a second that I'm happy about it."

"Alright…" Severus gave her a look of honest confusion. He didn't know why Albus wanted to see him. He didn't know why Albus did half the things he did. All Severus knew was that he was bound to follow it, as any good soldier would follow the orders of his commanding officer.

"This is all Dolores Umbridge's fault," Minerva was muttering to herself.

Severus stopped dead in his tracks. "She _is_ gone though?" he asked, speaking at a more clipped pace than normal. "Right? I mean, they said she was going to be gone. Albus promised me that she wouldn't be able to get back inside the castle."

"Relax, Severus, she's gone."

Severus exhaled in relief.

By now they had reached the Headmaster's office. Speaking the password, the gargoyle leaped aside and Severus gallantly gestured for Minerva to precede him up the stairs.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Only you. I've already spoken to him about this."

Severus nodded. He made his way up a couple of stairs before calling over his shoulder, "Drinks tonight?"

"You're buying," Minerva replied. "You'll be able to afford it after today."

* * *

"Ah, Severus, do come in," Albus said. Though his tone and demeanor were as pleasant as always, Severus could see some sadness in the old man's eyes.

"Albus," Severus replied in greeting.

"Severus, you remember Reinhold Hamilton, Chairman of the Board of Governors," Albus said, gesturing to an elderly wizard with long grey hair plaited down his back and large, circular glasses.

"Mr. Hamilton," Severus said, shaking the man's hand.

"Please be seated," Hamilton said, seating himself at Albus's desk and gesturing for Severus to sit across from him. Albus took the seat to Severus's right. "As you know, Severus, these are difficult times, difficult times, indeed. Extraordinary times, particularly for Hogwarts. What with the new threats our world faces, we must ensure that Hogwarts is protected. Additionally, the Board has decided, in light of the recent mishaps in the past year, to take a long, hard look at the operations of Hogwarts and determine what staffing changes, if any, should be made in order to best serve the Wizarding population. I think you will agree that complacency in the face of a changing world is a dangerous idea.

Severus nodded, his expression inscrutable. So, it had come at last. He was being sacked. Minerva had been, too, judging by her anger earlier. His past had caught up with him at last, or perhaps he had given a student with the "right" parents one detention too many.

Hamilton continued speaking. "The past several years, as you have no doubt noticed, have seen a significant upturn in student injuries and illnesses, beyond that which we would consider typical in a school with the enrollment and curriculum of Hogwarts. Taken as a sum of its parts, you can see why the Board is concerned about the management of the school. " Hamilton looked at the parchment in his hands and began to read from the list, which appeared to be compiled in no particular order.

"Students Petrified by a roving Basilisk unseen by any staff. A Cerebrus guarding a door on the third floor, perfectly accessible to students. Lower-level students being given Time-Turners to use at their own discretion. Hippogriff attacks. Students being tortured with Blood Quills and threatened with the Cruciatus. Failing to ensure that the werewolf on staff was properly quarantined and medicated during his transformations, putting several students at risk. Children as young as fourth years learning about the Unforgivables. An appalling lack of security around known secret passages in and out of the castle. A failure to conduct even the most basic background checks for potential staff, which resulted in two Death Eater sympathizers being hired on staff in the past five years alone, and another was a complete fraud with regard to his qualifications. Not to mention the Headmaster's failure to notice an imposter living in the school for an entire year. And this does not even begin to touch on the problems we saw with the TriWizard Tournament."

As Hamilton spoke, Severus couldn't help but notice Albus's face turning more and more ashamed.

"We simply cannot have our premiere educational institution beset with such problems, Severus," Hamilton continued. "Parents are threatening to withdraw their students and send them abroad. Others are proposing starting their own school, one in which boarding is optional. We do not want to see the proud tradition of Hogwarts tarnished by the mismanagement of a single person."

Severus nodded, wondering why he was being treated to the history lesson before receiving his inevitable termination. It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed many of the same problems during his own tenure.

"While the Ministry has accepted its culpability in many of the problems faced in the past year, including and especially the pain and disruption inflicted by the former High Inquisitor, Minister Scrimgeour also has expressed his concerns about what appears to be systemic negligence in terms of student health and safety. The Board of Governors has agreed, and has made the decision to remove Albus Dumbledore as Headmaster of Hogwarts."

Severus's head snapped to his right, seeing Albus with the sad look upon his face.

"Wanting to keep the transition as orderly as possible, the Board has decided to review the performance records of the current Heads of House for possible replacement before interviewing or screening any outside candidates. After a thorough review of your record here, Severus, the Board has decided that, despite some reservations, you are the member of staff best equipped to assume the position of Headmaster, effective thirty days hence."

Severus's head snapped back to look at Hamilton. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His mind raced. Minerva was the Deputy Headmistress, why was she not offered the position? This explained her little tantrum earlier; he had leapfrogged her to assume the position she had been groomed for ever since he was born. Why not Filius? He had higher seniority over Severus. Pomona, despite the fact that she was older, had been hired two years after Severus, so it made sense that he would be considered first.

As if he could hear Severus's racing thoughts, Hamilton spoke again. "The Board's lack of confidence in Albus extends to that of Professor McGonagall as well. Our review has found that she too failed to bring to the attention of the Board incidents that were occurring, and failed to stop them, thought it was in her power to do so. Professor Flitwick… well, we find he fails to command respect and attention over his own classes, let alone that of the entire school. We need someone with a forceful personality, excellent credentials, a long history of service, and the desired leadership skills. Despite our reservations about your treatment of students, we have found that you never once compromised the safety or well-being of any of them. Even Ms. Umbridge, in her review, commended you for ensuring that the volatile environment of a potions classroom was kept safe at all times. The Board also wishes to commend you for protecting three students, including Harry Potter, from a fully transformed werewolf. Your commitment to student safety, Severus, is what has brought you to the Board's attention. We expect this to continue upon your appointment." Hamilton stood up. "Do you accept?"

Severus looked from Albus to Hamilton to Albus again.

"Professor Dumbledore quite agrees with your appointment," Hamilton said. Albus gave a smile and a nod, winking one twinkling eye. Severus didn't know how he could be so calm about it. There were things that needed to be discussed. Lots of things. Not all of them to do with the administration of the school, either. His position in… _other_ areas… may be compromised with Albus gone.

Severus gulped. "Very well," he said.

"Excellent," Hamilton said, offering his hand. "Congratulations, Headmaster Snape."

* * *

_We are through the looking glass, people._

_Catch you on the flip side._


	2. Dead Man Walking

_YOU GUYS. _

_I don't even... I can't EVEN... _

_WOW. _

_The response to the first chapter... my god. I was **not** expecting that. Thank you so much for the kind words and well wishes. I feel the burden of expectations now. I hope the story lives up to them._

_As a small token of my gratitude, please take the next chapter early._

_Oh, and because I forgot to do it last time: I own nothing recognizable._

* * *

Severus still found it difficult to find words after Hamilton had left and he and Albus stood alone in the Head's office. In what would, in thirty days, be Severus's office.

"Don't panic, Severus," Albus said a little too kindly and gently for the circumstances. "The governors made a wise choice. I myself could not conceive of a more deserving or prepared successor."

Opening and shutting his mouth several times, Severus merely stood there, staring at Albus. There was so much they needed to discuss. Where to begin?

"They've killed me," he said simply.

"Don't be melodramatic, it doesn't suit you," Albus said, summoning some drinks with his wand. He poured Severus a generous helping of brandy.

"I'm not," Severus protested. "How the hell am I supposed to report to the Dark Lord as a spy if you aren't here to spy on? What possible use could he have for me as Headmaster? Not only that, without your protection the school will fall into his hands immediately. My life is measured in weeks now, if not days. Perhaps even hours."

"You'll find a way, Severus. Voldemort will not make any open moves; he is yet too weak, and his return was broadcast far earlier than he was prepared for. Not only that, I daresay that Voldemort might find having the school in the hands of one of his lieutenants to be valuable indeed. It is one of his goals, is it not?"

"Eventually, but you know what will happen if he sees me as his puppet, Albus. You know he will remove the rest of the staff and replace them with those he feels are more… in line with his philosophies. Not to mention that the Muggle-borns won't be allowed to return at some point."

"He would not grant you the discretion necessary to run things as you see fit?"

Severus shook his head and took a deep gulp of brandy, offering his now-empty glass to Albus to top up. "Not alone. I am not high enough in the ranks, and he still does not trust me enough. I'd have to do something drastic, like kidnap Potter or kill you, to earn that level of trust from him."

"No doubt you've fantasized about doing both," Albus mused. "Unfortunately, I don't think that will help our present predicament. Do not think that I underestimate the risk to you, Severus. I realize that this compromises your position in Voldemort's circle, and I am deeply sorry that my actions contributed to that."

Severus shrugged. "You did what you felt you had to do."

"I can devote my energies to the Order full-time now," Albus said, "Which I think could perhaps buy you some time. Voldemort knows the hierarchy of the Order, does he not?"

Severus shook his head. "No, thankfully. He believes it to be a cell-like structure, with no one knowing precisely the identities and movements of the others. I had to lie; to tell him the rank of everyone would put them at risk. If he knew that Minerva was your deputy in the Order as well as the school, she would have been assassinated long ago. Think of how easy it would have been to get to her at St. Mungo's last month." He sighed. "He believes me to be the spy at Hogwarts, spying on you. He does not believe me to be a spy for the Order. You know this."

"That was excellent thinking on your part," Albus said. "Perhaps that could work to our advantage."

"How do you mean?"

"Suppose you were to tell Voldemort that, in my absence, the staff have felt more… free to share their political leanings and vent their frustrations with my policies. Say that they appear that they can be swayed. It would be quite a boon to Voldemort to have Hogwarts in his pocket, would it not? Particularly with the existing staff, who command respect and hold considerable influence over this nation?"

Severus nodded. Hogwarts was second only to the Ministry in terms of influence, and far more popular as an institution. Though whether that would still be true with Severus at the helm remained to be seen.

"Perhaps you could buy yourself a year or so," Albus mused, "by suggesting that to him. It would take time; you'd have to win them over. Gain their trust by offering them perks that they have long been denied. Once you have, you could begin to turn them toward Voldemort. A couple of well-placed Order members could serve as decoys for this purpose. You said yourself that he is not aware of the entire roster of the Order."

Severus thought for a moment, sipping his brandy. "But what about your spy?" Severus asked. "The Dark Lord will not believe that I am still in a position to spy on you once you have left. My information will be less valuable to him."

Albus sighed. "I'm working on that."

"No one else can do what I do."

"Presently, no," Albus admitted. "But you were not born a spy, you were made one. I can make another. It will take time, but I will find a suitable replacement. Double-cover would serve me better, anyway."

"In case our plan to convince the Dark Lord that I can bring him converts doesn't work," Severus said.

Albus sighed and nodded in agreement. "In case it doesn't work."

"You were right, you know," Severus said, long resigned to this fate so not feeling any emotion over it. "I do agree that we Sort too soon."

Albus responded with only a chuckle.

* * *

"It's not a bad idea, per se," Minerva said, free to speak under protection of a _Muffliato _at the Three Broomsticks later that evening. "But it carries a lot of risk."

"Don't I know it."

"You'll offer me up as a potential convert to Voldemort, of course."

"Please," Severus scoffed. "Even I couldn't spin that. He'd never buy it. At least not now. Perhaps later, but I'll need time."

"Well, it's the thought that counts."

"I am going to need you to be my Deputy," Severus said seriously.

"Does it come with a pay increase?" she teased.

"What use have you for money?"

"Fair enough." Minerva sipped her mead, looking dignified and stern as always. "What perks do you plan to offer the faculty to gain their trust?"

"One that you and I have wanted for decades. Rather than make all Heads of House stay at Hogwarts all weekend, every weekend, one will be designated each weekend for all students to seek out for assistance. It'll be on a rota. So you'll get three weekends away each month."

"I could kiss you right now."

"Please don't."

"I won't." Minerva smiled. "You'll definitely win a few friends with that one. Pomona and Filius in particular will be pleased at being able to get away."

"I don't want that mental image, and I don't want friends."

"You may not want them, but you need them."

"No, I don't."

"Everyone does."

Severus shook his head. "For their protection, I will have to keep them at arm's length. And I can't make too many changes too quickly. It'll raise suspicion among everyone. Weekends off is a perk I've been vocal about for years; no one will think twice about my instituting it."

"Have you thought of who you wish to bring on staff?"

Severus shook his head. "I'm devoting my attention to figuring out how to stay alive long enough to see the start of the school year. In the event that I should, however, I'd love to hear your suggestions."

"Well, you have Potions and Defense to fill."

"Plus Head of Slytherin, though I suppose Varian can do it."

"She has no interest in it."

"She may not have a choice."

"She'll leave if you order her to take the position, you know that."

"Fine. Who do you suggest?"

"Bring back Horace Slughorn."

Severus grimaced.

"I know, and I agree, but it's easiest."

"He'll eat up half the school's budget. Literally and figuratively."

"There's really no one else you could trust to take the position on such short notice."

"True."

"And he'll favor the Slytherins, which will only reflect well on you in You-Know-Who's eyes."

"Also true."

"As for Defense… that might be a good place to instill an Order member."

"I agree. Whoever Albus recruits as the second spy would be best placed. The spy could not only report on Dumbeldore, but could also report on me, thus increasing my chances of surviving the year."

"That's good thinking."

"It's basic survival."

"When will he Summon you to talk about it?"

"He won't," Severus said. "If I leave it to him to find out through a third party, I will be killed. The earlier the better. Tonight."

Minerva looked horrified. "You can't go tonight! You've… you've had too much to drink!" By the look in her eyes, she clearly saw that it was a weak excuse. He chuckled. It really was sweet that she worried about him.

"At least go to him with the name of a Defense professor in mind," she beseeched him. "The more you will have though it through, the better." She took another drink. "Remus Lupin?"

Severus shook his head vehemently. "Even setting aside our personal animosity, he's a werewolf. He transformed without being contained. He nearly killed me along with Potter and his little sidekicks Wallace and Gromit. I will have enough on my plate without having to worry about werewolf bites."

Minerva sighed and nodded. "I like the boy a lot, though I agree, it could be a risk. But don't write him off completely; he could be well-placed as a spy. Werewolf and all."

"Possibly. I just don't think it's wise."

"Beggars can't be choosers."

"He's a risk. He's dangerous."

"More dangerous than You-Know-Who placing someone else at Hogwarts?"

"Fair point." He sat silent for a minute. "He was at the Department of Mysteries. He's exposed as an Order member."

"But believable as a defector."

"Even if that worked, and that is a big if, Dumbledore was just sacked for, among other reasons, employing Lupin. Why would I make the same mistake? Get myself sacked and then truly have my life measured in days, if not hours?"

"They didn't sack Albus for hiring Remus, they sacked Albus for being criminally negligent with the safety of the students in his charge. Quite rightly, too, I might add. You wouldn't be that way. I know you; you'd ensure he's locked up somewhere far more secure than the Shrieking Shack and doused with so much Wolfsbane he'll forget his own name."

"It would be courting trouble with the Board."

"I swear you are looking for reasons not to do this."

"I'm really not."

"The Board quite is hands-off. Meets once per year to approve the budget, which is how we got into this fine mess but I honestly don't see them changing their MO. Requires too much legwork on their parts. I doubt they'll look your way too often."

"Thank heaven for small mercies."

"I'm trying to help you, you know."

"I really don't have any good options, do I?"

"There has to be a way to make this work."

"Does there?"

"We're both clever. We can think of something."

"I'd rather not spend any more energy on the subject."

"What about Kingsley? Or Nymphadora Tonks?"

"The Dark Lord has spies in the Ministry. They don't know which Aurors are Order members, but if an Auror were to be placed on staff, they would immediately suspect. We need them at the Ministry more than we need them here."

Minerva continued to think for a moment before her lips curved into a smile. "What about Bill Weasley?"

"What about Bill Weasley?"

"He's qualified: a curse-breaker, top NEWTs and OWLs. One Weasley has already defected, it might be believable that you could turn another one."

Severus thought for a moment. "That has possibilities."

"Molly said he's getting married. To Fleur Delacour. You remember the Beauxbatons champion? Perhaps that would give him pause."

"Anyone can be moved for the sake of the Greater Good," Severus said. He drained his glass and stood to leave.

Minerva grabbed his sleeve. "Wait! You can't leave without sorting everything else. What about Hogsmeade weekends? What about security? What about—"

Severus placed his hand on hers. "I can't wait any longer, Minerva," he said sadly. "But I appreciate the effort to get me to stay. I will do my best to convince him of my continued value. But we know that every meeting with him could be my last. I accept it."

"I don't."

"You will." He removed her hand from his sleeve and brought it to his lips. "Thank you."

* * *

Severus braced himself as he touched his wand to the Dark Mark. Death Eaters were not to call the Dark Lord unless it involved a matter of the utmost urgency. Severus was certain that this qualified. Most likely qualified. Probably qualified.

He removed his wand, wincing as the mark burned his skin. _Too late now_.

Less than a second later the Dark Lord appeared before him. "This had better be important," he hissed. Severus knew he had mere seconds to explain himself.

"Dumbledore has been removed as Headmaster and I have been appointed in his place."

The red, snakelike eyes widened in surprise. "How did this happen?"

"The Board of Governors apparently decided it was time to do their job and look at the management of the school," Severus said, sounding bored. "The Headmaster is gone and I have been appointed to replace him."

"You do not know Dumbeldore's whereabouts, then?"

Severus shook his head. "At present, no."

"Then I am without a spy." He gave Severus a sidelong glance.

"Not necessarily, My Lord," Severus said quickly. "I have been speaking with a known high-ranking Order member. According to my source, many in Dumbledore's camp have expressed displeasure with the current state of affairs. They are displeased with how the Ministry fiasco was handled. One in particular has spoken with me at length about the subject. I had thought to appoint him to the Defense position at Hogwarts, where I can better manipulate his thoughts and bring him over to our side."

"And your role, Severus, is not extraneous in such a situation?"

"No, My Lord. I had thought, with your leave, of course, that in the absence of the old fool I could use my new position to recruit some of the faculty to our side. We were only informed of Dumbledore's dismissal today, but already there are whispers. Relief that the old man is gone. A new freedom to speak their minds. In my position, I could grant them some benefits that Dumbledore has denied them. Once I have gained their favor, I could persuade them to consider… alternatives."

"That takes time."

"But it is worth the time," Severus said. "Think, My Lord, you could have Hogwarts in your camp. Willingly, too, rather than by force. They could spread your philosophies to the next generation, giving you fresh access to minds as soon as they leave. You would meet with less resistance when you finally take control."

Severus's Occlumency shields were firmly in place. It took every ounce of strength to tamp down his fear and stop his hands from shaking. He saw the Dark Lord consider his proposal. The Dark Lord prized Hogwarts above just about everything. Even the Ministry was merely a means to an end. Hogwarts was that end. Hogwarts had always been the end.

"Who in the Order spoke to you about defecting?"

Severus felt a flash of panic but kept it well-hidden. "It is all too tenuous right now, My Lord, to name names."

"I wish to know the name." Voldemort began pacing, never a good sign.

Severus thought quickly. He could not deny the Dark Lord. He thought about the two possibilities he'd discussed with Minerva: Lupin and the eldest Weasley. Weasley had access to Gringotts, which the Dark Lord would find agreeable. Lupin had connections with the werewolves, which the Dark Lord would also find acceptable. Lupin was a danger to the students, whereas Bill Weasley would pose no such risk.

But he remembered what Minerva had told him about Weasley's impending nuptials, and the decision was out of his hands.

"Remus Lupin."

Voldemort stopped in his tracks. "The werewolf?"

Severus nodded.

"One of your Brothers tells me that he served as Defense professor two years ago, and that he nearly killed Potter."

"He did, My Lord."

"He also nearly killed Wormtail."

"He… he did, My Lord."

"He also fought against your brothers in the Ministry mere weeks ago."

"That is also true, My Lord." This was not going well. He braced himself.

"He has placed himself firmly in Dumbledore's camp, it would seem."

"Perhaps he had, but then he has been most disappointed that the side to which he has sworn allegiance has disappointed him so fully."

"The werewolf does not know what he wants," Voldemort mused.

"I don't think he does, My Lord."

"Very well. Do what must be done. I want someone at Hogwarts, and I want someone spying on Dumbledore. You are useless in that regard now. I would speak with him to see what he has to say. Bring him to me. And I want no disappointments from you, Severus. If you make me regret this…"

Severus merely bowed, very much aware that life, as Lupin knew it, was about to end.

* * *

_And down the rabbit hole we go. Headfirst. Change one variable and the entire thing unravels._

_Many effective spies have been defectors from opposing forces in the real world. I don't think Voldy would be too suspicious at the prospect of an Order member wanting to come aboard, particularly one who just lost his BFF in Dumbledore/Harry's name. I think he'd at least be interested in hearing what he had to say._

_Because I have been asked, yes, this is a SSHG. **Eventually**. You really are going to have to pack your patience with this one. Fair warning: the first few chapters will be very Severus and Remus heavy as we lay the groundwork for things to come. Yes, Dumbledore was sacked, in part, for hiring Lupin. Yes, there is an explanation for how Severus will get around this. Those of you who know my work know that I don't like to give up the goods all at once._

_Next chapter should be up in another two weeks or so. (For real this time. Sadly.)_


	3. Sinful Things

_Dumbledore, meet Logic. Logic, Dumbledore._

* * *

"You son of a bitch."

Severus reared back as the punch caught him in the jaw. Sometimes, a curse just wouldn't do; it had to be hand-to-hand. He could positively hear the snarl in Remus Lupin's voice. He was even baring his teeth.

"Now, Remus…" Albus said calmly.

"No! The bastard sold me out. You know what I'm going to have to do, don't you? I'm going to have to take the Mark. I'm going to have to act as a Death Eater. I'm going to have to live a double life. I am going to have to give up my life as I know it."

"Such as it is," Severus muttered.

"And how do you propose this little scheme works, then? Wasn't Dumbledore just sacked for employing me? Do you really think you can hold off the Board of Governors more than the greatest wizard alive?"

"Yes," Severus said simply, sounding bored, which only inflamed Remus more.

"How?"

"I have tools at my disposal that Albus does not."

"That's a load of bollocks."

"Lamentable vocabulary, Lupin. Suffice it to say, I have friends in places where Dumbledore does not."

Remus scoffed. "Friends?"

"Well, I say 'friends.' It's all rather complicated. I figured it would be best to use simple words."

"This is all a god damn game to you, isn't it?"

"If it is, I seem to be the winner thus far." He smirked.

"And I the loser."

"Your words, not mine."

"Quiet, Severus!" Albus said forcefully. "And you too, Remus. Severus did what he had to do to ensure that he would remain in Voldemort's good graces. Remus, you already agreed to go underground with the werewolves this year. This would be no different."

"At least I had a choice before!" Lupin hissed.

"Not all of us have the choices we wish to have," Severus said darkly.

"And some of us make the wrong choices," Lupin retorted.

"Some of us have been out on the front line, risking our necks, for years while others of us sit in hiding, waiting for life to happen to them. Tell me, Lupin, what did you and Black do whilst ensconced in here? How _did_ you wile away the lonely, long hours together?"

Lupin's face flashed red with embarrassment, anger, or some mixture of both.

"Enough!" Albus said in a raised voice. "We don't have time for this. Remus, you will meet with me in a few moments. Severus and I will speak right now. And at some point in the near future, you will meet with each other and learn to work together. This is much bigger than either of you, and you would do well to remember it. I will not have the Order lose faith in our two spies because of schoolboy grudges that should have been buried twenty years ago."

With his eye twitching in anger, Lupin turned and left, slamming the door to the Headmaster's office on his way out.

Albus looked to Severus, considering him. "Why him?"

Severus's face was a mask and he looked away before speaking softly. "Fleur Delacour."

Albus looked uncomprehending for a moment, and then his eyes softened. "Oh, Severus," he said sadly.

"Lupin learns nothing of that," he said warningly.

"You should tell him. He might trust you more if he understood your motives."

"He wouldn't understand me if it were tattooed across your face and written in the sky in giant letters," Severus said. "He deliberately wishes to misunderstand me. The less he does, the less human I seem, and the less guilt he feels."

"Well, he knows a little something about feeling inhuman too, Severus, so perhaps you can be the bigger person here."

_I don't _want_ to be the bigger person_, Severus thought petulantly.

"I know," Albus said, as if he heard Severus's thoughts, which he probably had. "I know that there are very real fears and hurts there. But you now need one another to survive. Keep that in mind."

* * *

Remus Lupin never smoked. Never drank, never took drugs. Undergoing a painful physical transformation was hard enough on his health as it was; chemical enhancements weren't going to extend his already significantly-depleted life expectancy.

But damn if he didn't need a cigarette right now.

"Remus."

He turned to see Dumbledore standing before him, looking tired and apologetic and… so very old. There was nothing Remus could say that wouldn't sound angry, so he opted to say nothing and turn his back.

Dumbledore walked over and stood next to him, surveying the grounds from the top of the battlements.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Remus shook his head, not wanting to let loose the tirade of words that he knew would come if he dared open his mouth.

"Let the anger out, Remus. It does no good to keep it buried deep inside. Mastering your feelings is part of this, and will save your life more than once, but even Severus has moments where he just has to let the pain and the anger out."

At the sound of Snape's name, Remus snapped.

"He could have chosen _anyone_ else!" Remus cried. "Literally _anyone_ else in the Order. But no, he had to get his revenge, didn't he? Didn't hesitate for a second to sign my life away. Knew what he was condemning me to. That… that…" Lost for words, he tore at his hair.

Dumbledore said nothing, merely allowed Remus to pace back and forth, spouting off angry words about Snape, tearing at his hair and stifling sobs. The prospect of being a spy, of fighting on the front lines, terrified him. Gryffindor that he might be, Remus was no master of deception. He knew, deep down, that he would die, and in doing so would hurt the Order, the Cause, and Harry.

As the last Marauder left, with Sirius gone only a few weeks, Remus felt especially responsible for the boy. He felt that he had let Sirius down, hadn't been there to stop him from doing something stupid and foolish. And now he was gone. His last real friend, lost.

It was all too much.

"Remus…" Dumbledore approached slowly and almost cautiously, but not in the frightened way many people did after learning he was a werewolf. "I know that this is a shock, and a fright, and that it is asking entirely too much of you. I know that you and Severus have a long and tortured history. I know many things have been said and done.

"But know this: I trust Severus with my life. I trust all your lives to him, because it is his ability to spy and lie to Voldemort that has kept us all alive this past year."

Remus shook his head, not wanting to listen to any of this. He'd heard this story many, many times before and never really believed it.

"Severus did not want to choose you. According to both him and Minerva, he had no choice. He ruled out all other senior Order members for good reason: Kingsley and Tonks are our eyes and ears within the Ministry; we cannot afford to lose either one. They are also our conduits to new recruits in other departments. Minerva's role has been kept secret and we all wish to keep it that way; should anything happen to me, she would be needed to take up the reins of the Order and lead the charge. Not only that, she is simply not credible as a defector. Neither are Arthur and Molly Weasley, or Alastor, or Aberforth. He narrowed it down to you and Bill Weasley. You are both qualified to teach Defense, both have connections to groups or institutions the Dark Lord values outside of Hogwarts, have connections to me, and could believably defect."

"So why not Bill, then?" Remus asked beseechingly. He knew he sounded childish and cowardly, but he couldn't help it. Snape had just sold him into slavery and signed his death warrant.

Dumbledore hesitated for a moment, seemingly warring with himself, before his eyes softened and he said in a voice just above a whisper, "He learned that Bill Weasley was engaged to be married, and he didn't want to take Fleur's husband away from her."

Remus snorted. "_Snape_, care about that? Please."

"He does care, Remus," Dumbledore said seriously. "Severus cares very deeply about that sort of thing."

The tone of Dumbledore's voice brought Remus back to himself, but only a bit.

"And if it helps," Dumbledore continued, "he truly is sorry that it came to this. He did not ask to be named Headmaster. He did not ask for his position as a spy to be compromised. He did not ask to have to improvise a solution that would save not only his own life, but ensure that the Dark Lord remain complacent with regard to Hogwarts. His plan keeps other Order members safe and does not compromise our plans any more than absolutely necessary.

"Oh, things need to change. For example, I no longer have anyone I can send to convert the werewolves, but to be perfectly honest, Remus, I had no real expectation of you succeeding anyway. Not due to your skill or character, but I simply do not believe that they would be amenable to any entreaties you might make to them. They are firmly in league with Voldemort, and you may have had to interact with him anyway.

"If you are at Hogwarts, you can be the support system for Harry Potter. He needs it, and needs it desperately. You know how much Sirius's death affected him; he blames himself, you know. He blames Severus, too, but you and I both know that is misguided. They had… they had a difficult time the past year, Harry and Severus, which will need to be mended. And Harry was without a support network all year—not you, not Sirius, not even me. I will not be here any longer. You must be here for Harry. Help him to trust Severus. They need to trust each other and work together. They will not survive this, and by extension neither will the rest of us, if they cannot work with one another. They are both emotional people; help them bridge that gap.

"I know I ask too much of you, Remus. But please, don't blame Severus for this. He did what he had to do because I failed to do what I was supposed to do. He has bought us time. I ask that you help him, and me, and Harry, and the Cause. You wish to lash out at those responsible. I ask that you lay the blame solely at my feet."

Remus shook his head. "You've done so much for me, Headmaster. I can't do that."

"So has Severus," Dumbledore reminded him. "Recall, he made you the Wolfsbane potion every month, to ensure your health and safety and the safety of others. It allowed you to remain in the castle during your transformations, rather than being sequestered away like an animal. I know he says hurtful things. But look at his actions. He did not have to make you the potion. I never asked him to. He did it of his own volition."

Remus's eyes widened at that admission. He had always assumed Snape had grudgingly brewed the potion on Dumbledore's orders.

"You have much to think about," Dumbledore said. "I will leave you to it. I wish you to come to my office—while it remains my office—tomorrow morning. If you are ready, if you are prepared, we will begin."

Remus hesitated, then nodded.

Dumbledore patted his shoulder and slipped something into his hand. Remus looked down to find a pack of cigarettes. He nodded at Dumbledore in thanks, lit a cigarette with his wand, and pondered his future while staring out at the grounds.

* * *

"That's absurd."

"I won't be a part of it!"

Albus held his head in his hands as the two began shouting at each other. Again. This had been going on all morning. They were worse than the most spoiled, immature children that had passed through Hogwarts. When that list included three generations of Malfoys, _that_ was saying something.

He knew there was no reining these two in; they needed to get out whatever it was between them before they could proceed. Without even attempting to silence them, he stood up, walked to the door, and shut it. He surreptitiously warded the door, drowning out the sound of the escalating argument inside, and decided to roam the halls, humming, while he still could.

Neither Remus nor Severus had noticed Albus's departure, so focused they were on cutting each other down to size, airing out grievances that stretched back as far as twenty-five years.

"And in his grandmother's clothes, no less! Forget your unprofessionalism, it was downright immature!"

"You need to learn to laugh at yourself, you know. You're too damn serious."

"And you're not serious enough. What kind of werewolf who works with children forgets to take his Wolfsbane?"

"What kind of teacher gets his jollies by cutting down the most nervous and inept student in the class?"

Severus opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by the sound of one of the portraits clearing his throat.

"I do apologize for interrupting," Phineas said insincerely, "but you might notice that your childish bickering has driven the _current_," he emphasized the word, "Headmaster out."

Both heads swiveled to the door, which indeed was shut, and there was no sign of Albus in the room. They turned to glare at each other, each clearly blaming the other for escalating the conflict.

It didn't take long to discover that the Headmaster had, indeed, locked and warded them in. Severus wouldn't have control over this office for another twenty-eight days.

"Perfect," Severus muttered under his breath.

"The feeling is entirely mutual," Remus seethed. "Not only have you signed my life away, I now have to sit her and _bond_ with you."

"Oh, shut up, will you? If you're looking to blame someone, fine, blame me. That never has been a problem for you. But for the love of all that is holy, do not think that I am enjoying one minute of this. I'm putting my life in your hands with this, and my confidence in your abilities as a double agent is less than absolute."

"You could have avoided this whole situation?"

"How, Lupin? How could I have? The Dark Lord believes me to be the spy at _Hogwarts_. I am useful to him because I spy on _Dumbledore_. Not the Order, Dumbledore. My membership is completely hidden from him; if he knew, he'd kill me on sight, and I'd let you sit there and consider all the intelligence you would have missed out on had that happened, but we simply do not have time for that. Suffice it to say that he wants a spy in Dumbledore's camp, and it cannot be me.

"Furthermore, even if it were plausible for me to be the Order spy, I am needed at Hogwarts. He wants the school, and the faculty, and will get them through someone in his ranks. If not me or you, one of his other Death Eaters will be placed in here. Better to be you and I than anyone else. He will not trust me to run the school unsupervised, so he will want someone else here. Since I refuse to do the things that will be required of the Death Eater in charge, I need his spy to be on my side and be able to embellish what happens here so as to satisfy him.

"I have one year, two at the absolute most, to deliver the faculty to him. Not coincidentally, that is how long Potter will be here. I cannot hold of turning him over forever, unless I show that I am making progress toward delivering the school to him, by wearing down the faculty and removing those who would protect him. Otherwise, there is no real reason for him to avoid attacking the school and snatching Potter away. He will hesitate if Dumbledore is here, but not necessarily if I am here. He would, however, probably wish to wait to do so until he can be sure he will be met with minimal resistance from the faculty and the castle itself, especially with Dumbledore running the Order full-time.

"Do you see now, Lupin, why it is essential that it be you?"

Remus refused to meet Severus's eye as he gave his monologue, clenching his jaw.

"You are a believable defector," Severus said simply. "You were going to infiltrate the werewolves anyway, this is the same task, simply with a different audience."

"The hell it is!" Remus spat. "I will have to take the—" he cut himself off, glancing at Severus's forearm without finishing his sentence.

Severus realized what Remus meant and simply started laughing.

"You're afraid of the Mark, Lupin?" He shook his head, still chuckling. "Your big, bad Gryffindor courage abandoned you? Oh, you really have no idea, do you?"

"I don't like the idea of You-Know-Who's mark being branded into my skin," Remus said defensively. "Not everyone is drawn to the Dark Arts, you know."

"First, if you're going to go undercover as a Death Eater, you'd better get used to referring to him as the Dark Lord. Second, everyone is drawn to the Dark Arts after exposure, which is the main reason why we teach students to avoid it altogether, unlike Durmstrang, which teaches them to control it. Third, taking the Mark will be the absolute least of your worries."

"Some of us do not enjoy the prospect of torture."

"You think this was painful?" Severus rolled up his sleeve and exposed the Mark. "You think this _hurt_? Lupin, it was the best night of my life. I have never felt such euphoria before or since. You never feel more powerful, more optimistic, more _alive_ than you do at that moment. There's no pain the marking; if there was, no one would do it. You think people are drawn to the Dark Lord because of the _pain_ he promises we will endure? We may be a miserable lot, but we are not masochistic.

"As for Dark Magic… there is no greater high than the one you feel when you cast a dark spell. Nothing. No drug on the planet can compare. People are drawn to the Dark Arts for the same reason they are drawn to drugs, or drink, or sex, or all other sinful things in this world: it's _fun_. It feels _good_."

Remus was speechless. This flew in the face of everything he'd ever thought about the Dark Arts. Then again, Severus wasn't exactly the type to lie to him to make him feel better.

"I just wish the choice could have been mine," Remus said sadly.

"Do you honestly think it would have made it easier to bear?"

Remus shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know."

"The reasons would be the same, the Cause would be the same, the actions would be the same. Whether you chose it affirmatively or were coerced into it, you would still be fighting the same fight. But I suppose there is no way to really know."

"You got to choose."

Severus became tense. "Not really."

Remus looked at him in disbelief. "But Albus always said…"

"Hang what Albus said! I never chose this. I chose to join the Dark Lord, yes, but defecting…"

"You were forced to?"

Severus looked away and took many moments to answer.

"In a way." He shook his head. "This is not up for discussion."

"Severus…"

"Don't 'Severus' me! If you think I'm going to tell a _Marauder_ personal information, you can think again. I know what happens when you sink your teeth into my life; you do not let go, and you use it to humiliate me. I have far more important things to worry about. Suffice it to say, Lupin, that I had my reasons, but they were not of my choosing."

"But they were of your design?"

Refusing to dignify the question with a response, Severus turned away. "Do you want to learn how to act like a Death Eater, or not?" He glanced over his shoulder. "I'm sure you do not wish to, but it will save your life and ours. You're in it now, Lupin. Now it's time to learn how to play the game."

* * *

"Have they stopped fighting?" Albus asked Phineas, who was now making himself a home in a painting of bathing maidens on the fifth floor.

"Mercifully, yes," Phineas said, playing up his exhaustion in front of the ladies, hopeful that he could unburden his soul. "They're talking, at least. I decided to leave them to it. One can only listen to so much discord before it all becomes too much." One of the maidens made a sympathetic sound and approached him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. Phineas gave a sorrowful look and lay his head on her bosom as she crooned comforting words and rubbed his back.

Albus chuckled and moved on.

* * *

"So… we have reached an accord, I see," Albus said cheerfully as he reappeared in his office hours later as if it had been his intention all along.

Remus and Severus eyed each other before finally nodding.

"We have a game plan, more or less," Remus said.

"Excellent!" Albus said. "I knew you two could learn to work together."

"We have some suggestions, Albus, that might make this year more bearable than the last," Severus said, ignoring the comment.

"Such as?"

"The little 'adventure' the students had at the Department of Mysteries was entirely avoidable. A lack of information imparted to Potter led him to draw his own conclusions, and he led the rest of them down the rabbit hole."

"Harry is a gap-filler," Remus explained, "as you no doubt noticed. If there is a gap in the information he has been given, he will fill it with his own speculations and, worst of all, act on them without a second thought. That caused a lot of injuries and one death." Remus took a moment to compose himself before continuing; Sirius's death was still too painful to think about without breaking down. "Whether we like it or not, he is a target, he is privy to a lot of sensitive information already, and he has the mental link with You-Know… with the Dark Lord. Partial information and half-truths essentially encourage him to act rashly and without considering the consequences."

"Much as I hate the idea," Severus said, "I think the boy and his two friends should be told everything. I don't like the idea of Potter knowing more than he does, but I dislike the idea of what he might do without the information even more."

Albus nodded. "I quite agree. Before the Board's review, I had intended to spend the next year imparting to Harry much more information than he already has. Specifically, I was going to show him various memories of Voldemort that I have gathered over the years and reconstruct his personal history from birth to the present, and show Harry how Voldemort became what he is today."

Remus and Severus shared a look. "For what purpose?" Remus asked. "I mean, understanding the Dark Lord is beneficial, but why Harry in particular? Why that information in particular?"

"To defeat Voldemort, he must first understand him."

"You really think that the outcome will come down to what Potter can accomplish based on his understanding of the Dark Lord's past?" Severus scrubbed his face with his hands.

"Voldemort fears—"

"You," Severus said sternly. "The Dark Lord fears _you_. Not Potter, not me, not Lupin, not _love_, he fears _you_. Potter understanding why the Dark Lord is the way he is will not help with anything. Not anything that I can think of. It's not as if understanding his troubled past or whatever it is you think is so crucial will give Potter any sort of edge in this war."

"I… I have to agree with Severus," Remus said. "I can't see the strategic value of imparting information on Voldemort's past."

Albus raised his hand to stop them, tempting though it was to let them continue, now that they finally agreed on something. "I intend to share this information with Harry as a means of understanding what Voldemort values: objects, places, events. It will prepare him for a quest I intend to send him on. He, and only he, may pursue it."

Severus and Remus looked at Albus, jaws dropped, agape.

"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Severus hissed. "You would leave the fate of our world to the capabilities and whims of a teenage wizard who is at best above average in terms of skills, abilities, and intelligence?"

"I… I once again have to agree with Severus," Remus said, looking both surprised and pained to have to say so. "That… that makes no sense, Albus. I love Harry as if he were my own son, but secrecy serves no purpose. What task could you possibly set Harry that you couldn't entrust to one of the adult members of the Order? Harry has a target on his back, has had it since before he was born. With the best protection, he is still vulnerable to attack. Even if you could train him up to the skill level where he needs to be—and Severus is correct that, at this point, he is above average at best—wouldn't it be prudent to let multiple Order members, in multiple locations, know? Simply to spread the risk?"

"Insurance," Severus added.

Albus shook his head. "The information is uncertain and sensitive. If it were to spread beyond a small circle…"

"Do you seriously trust Harry Potter's judgment over that of the most senior Order members, particularly those who fought in the first war?" Remus asked. "I have all the faith in the world in Harry, but this will come down to more than just a one-on-one standoff. He won't stand a chance without support. Help us help him."

"It pains me to even suggest it, Albus, but if you insist on this plan, I will bring it before the Order's Inner Circle and seek a confidence vote," Severus said. "I trust your judgment in most things, but we need to be prudent. Cautious. Harry Potter may be the so-called 'Chosen One' but would it not be sensible for us to come up with a backup plan? You yourself have said multiple times that the Prophecy has meaning because the Dark Lord and Potter choose to give it meaning. What if our side simply decided not to give it meaning? Stack the odds in our favor?"

"I have no doubt that, when it comes down to it in the end, the odds will be stacked in our favor."

Remus sighed. "Albus… it just seems so irresponsible to entrust the most important secrets, the most important actions, to Harry at this point. As I said, I love him like a son, but he is simply too hot-headed, like most teenagers are. He needs guidance and training and information. He cannot go it alone. It is not fair to him, and it is far too risky."

"He already is well on his way toward developing a dangerous savior complex, Albus," Severus said. "I might go so far as to say he has one already, if the Ministry fiasco is anything to go by. If the boy had any special abilities or strengths, natural ones, surely they would have manifested by now. He has the connection to the Dark Lord's mind. Let us exploit that, develop it to our advantage. None of us can use that. None of us can substitute that. But the rest of us can perform magic that he cannot. The rest of us have judgment and experience that he does not possess"

"I would hate for Harry to, inundated with all this responsibility, make the wrong decisions and missteps," Remus said. "For the boy's sake, and the war's sake, please reconsider."

Albus said nothing, considering.

"Would Minerva agree with this plan, Albus, if she knew about it?" Severus asked. "If you honestly believe she would, then I will remain silent."

Albus opened his mouth, then closed it. "No," he admitted. "No, she would think it as foolhardy as you two do."

"Make this a team effort, Albus," Remus said. "Severus and I are the ones who will see Harry day to day, give us the tools we need to help him. He probably won't listen to Severus, unless you give him reason to. He may lose faith in me, unless you explain to him what is happening."

"Take wand oaths, Unbreakable Vows, whatever you require to keep the information secret."

"But make sure his friends are included. Hermione and Ron," Remus said. Severus scoffed and rolled his eyes, but Remus continued. "He needs them. He… it's like the three all function as a single person. They are always at their best when they are together."

"Or their worst," Severus muttered.

"Play to that strength," Remus finished, ignoring Severus.

Albus stared at both of them. He wasn't used to having his authority questioned. He wasn't used to having his judgment doubted. But then he thought back to the last five years. The unnecessary danger that he had placed the students in because he was focused on other things. The unnecessary heartache that Harry had suffered in the aftermath of the TriWizard Tournament, and how it had festered and grown because he had been left in the dark. How Harry would never have led his friends into Voldemort's trap had he known the full risk. How Sirius would still be alive if not for Albus's iron-clad certainty that he knew best.

If the last few weeks had taught Albus Dumbledore nothing else, it was that he did not, in fact, always know best.

"Very well," he conceded. "We will expand the Inner Circle to the most trusted and necessary individuals. And then, among them, we share everything." He stood up, looking weary. "I hope we will not live to regret this."

* * *

_Is it just me, or was the Order far too unaffected by Sirius's death? Their Golden Boy went rogue got one of their numbers killed; you'd think they would have changed their MO a little bit after that. It's not like Sirius died on the battlefield, his death was _completely_ avoidable. And what kind of organization just blindly follows its leader and assumes everything he says or does is right, even without explanation? Isn't that the defining characteristic of a cult? (CULT LEADER!DUMBLEDORE. SOMEONE WRITE THAT FIC.)_

_Sorry, moving on._

_Just a heads up: There is going to be smoking in this story. A LOT of smoking. I'm not a smoker myself, and I'm not advocating it in the least, but it was necessary for this story. They're tense and stressed and British and there's a war on and HAVE YOU EVER HAD A NICOTINE-DEPRIVED SEVERUS IN YOUR BRAIN IT IS NOT FUN, OKAY? Okay. So, kids reading this at home: don't smoke. And don't read M-rated fics. They'll corrupt you. _


	4. Commitments

_Finally caught a break between vacation, Olympics, and Shark Week to edit/post. Enjoy._

* * *

It took Ron, Hermione, and Remus to hold Harry down.

"You bastard!" Harry cried, lunging at Severus. "You killed Sirius and now you've got Dumbledore ousted!"

"Harry, _stop_!" Hermione cried, struggling to pull him back down on the sofa at Grimmauld Place. "You know Professor Snape is on our side, you know that the Board of Governors made this decision, now sit down!"

Severus bit back a chuckle at how much she sounded like Molly Weasley. She definitely had her "mother" voice down. He pitied the poor man who would be fool enough to marry her someday. Being on the receiving end of that tone of voice had never been particularly pleasant to him.

"Harry," Remus said gently as Severus rolled his eyes at what he considered to be the excessive coddling of the Boy Wonder, "It's true. I know that… I know that Sirius's death was difficult. It was difficult for _all_ of us. But we can't all turn on each other. Not now. Severus is on our side, just as you are, just as Ron is, just as Hermione is, just as I am. We all need to work together."

Harry eyed Severus coldly. His professor returned the expression. Hermione did a bad job of hiding her sigh of exasperation at the immaturity of both.

Albus Dumbledore, at long last, finally spoke.

"Harry," he said, "Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger." He looked at each one in turn when he spoke. "The blame for Sirius's death lies with me, and me alone. Had I informed you of what was occurring, of what I feared might happen, had I shared the information… I daresay you would not have traveled to the Ministry, and Sirius would likely still be alive today. Sirius's death is on my head, Harry, not Severus's. If you wish to lay blame on someone, lay it on me."

Harry averted his eyes. "I can't do that, Professor. I know you had your reasons for what you were doing. I should have trusted you. I…"

Hermione took his hand. "You were under You-Know-Who's influence, Harry. You were a different person this last year."

"I still can't shut him out," Harry admitted. "I can feel him in my mind. I can hear him in my head. I can see him in my dreams." His voice sounded strangled as he looked at Severus. "I really did try, Professor, I really did. I didn't want him in my mind. I _don't_ want him in my mind. But I can't do it."

Severus sighed. "I suppose that your instruction on the subject was rather more circumscribed than it should have been," he admitted. He added nothing else. This was all he was willing to admit. This was all he would ever admit.

"I have learnt that it is far preferable to lay the cards on the table," Dumbledore said. "I do not wish you to operate with incomplete information, Harry. Not only is it reckless of me to simply ask you to take my word for things, but it is utterly unfair to you. It is you who were unwittingly and unwillingly born into the center of this conflict. You deserve to know the truth, the full and complete truth. From all of us."

He turned to Minerva, Remus, and Severus. "Your professors, the ones in the order, have all agreed to share with you any and all information you require. I would ask that you hold your questions for now, and simply let them share what they have agreed to share.

"By doing this, you three will be full members of the Order. This entails great power but also requires great responsibility. You have all proven powerful and brave on the field of battle. Now you must learn the complexity of the situation, the risks involved, and the gravity and importance of trusting your comrades in arms. You are to trust each person in this room with your life. You will share nothing of this beyond the circle of people you see before you now. If you cannot do this, cannot swear to it fully and completely, then I fear I must modify your memories and pretend that this meeting never occurred."

He looked to the three Gryffindors. "What say each of you?"

They each looked to each other before nodding in the affirmative, Ron hesitating before agreeing.

"I will have your right hands," Dumbledore said. "Put them in the center." They did as instructed, and Dumbledore placed his hand upon theirs. Minerva stepped forward and held her wand over them.

"Will you, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley, pledge your fealty and loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix, above and beyond everything else?"

"I will," they said in unison. A bright rope of flame wrapped around their hands.

"Will you trust and place your faith in the comrades you see in this room, putting aside your personal differences for the sake of the cause?"

"I will." Another flame.

"Will you place the needs of the Order above your personal needs, including, but not limited to, your lives?"

"I will." Another flame.

The three rings of flame wrapped and intertwined, before disappearing.

"I knew I could count on you," Dumbledore said kindly. He gestured to the other three adults.

Minerva cleared her throat. "I suppose I will begin. You know that I am in the Order and Albus's deputy at Hogwarts. That extends to the Order as well. However, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named does not know this. Severus has ensured that."

"The Dark Lord," Severus explained, "believes the Order is run as a cell-based organization; no member knows the full extent of the membership, or the leadership structure beyond his or her own immediate superior. That is not how the Order operates, as you well know."

"As the figurehead and leader of the Order, there is a target on my back and a price on my head," Dumbledore said. "As a result, I must have my successor named and prepared. My successor must also be safeguarded. Much of Severus's work has been reporting the activities we wish him to report, obtaining the information we need him to obtain, and hiding Minerva's involvement. Voldemort does not know that Severus is in the Order. He believes that Severus is only the spy of my own activities at Hogwarts."

"The Dark Lord has also concluded that Minerva is not in the Order," Severus explained. "As she was conveniently in St. Mungo's during your little 'excursion,' this has been cemented."

"With Albus no longer Headmaster," Remus said, "Severus's value to Voldemort has gone down considerably. He has managed to convince him that he can deliver Hogwarts to Voldemort. However, Voldemort lacks trust in Severus. He needs another spy at Hogwarts, one who can double as a spy for the Order."

He hesitated. "That person will be me."

"You mean…" Harry said.

Remus nodded. "I am coming back to Hogwarts as a professor."

The smile on Harry's face vanished as Remus continued speaking.

"I will be presented as a new recruit and an Order defector to Voldemort tomorrow."

Hermione looked horrified. "But you'll have to take the Mark."

Remus nodded, looking grave.

"Yes," he said. "I will."

Many moments passed before anyone said anything.

"Oh, Remus," Harry said brokenly.

"Please," Remus said, holding up a hand. "We will speak of it later, if you wish, but for now, please trust that this is the right decision. Minerva, Severus, Albus, and I have all discussed it. It is the right thing to do. It is necessary."

He looked at them imploringly. "We _all_ do what is necessary."

He met Severus's eye, and the dark man cleared his throat before speaking.

"In my role as Headmaster, I will inform you now that the school will be a very different place than the one we have all called home these last years. The Dark Lord believes that I am working to convert the staff of Hogwarts to his side; with Hogwarts in his pocket, he will have influence, power, and legitimacy. Combined with the Ministry, he will have much of our world in his pocket.

"To appear that I am working toward this end, I regret that I will eventually have to implement policies that will appear malicious, prejudiced, and unfair."

"That's a change," Ron muttered sarcastically, earning him a punch in the arm from Hermione, who reached over Harry to do it.

Severus ignored them. "Every single one I will have to implement is done after great deliberation and with the furtherance of the Cause in mind. You have all no doubt noticed that I favored Slytherin students in class; this will now expand to the school as a whole. Slytherins will be given first choice in everything, and preference in everything. This is in keeping with what many will suspect of me, and allow the children whose families have Death Eater connections to show that I am furthering their ideology.

"It is with great regret," he said honestly, "that Muggle-born students will have their status and rights slowly and gradually diminished. Miss Granger, I apologize to you that you will likely not be allowed to attend Hogwarts past this year. Much as you agitate and annoy and infuriate me, I have never believed in limiting opportunities for wizards and witches of your background. For that I am truly sorry."

Hermione's face fell. Harry took her hand, while Ron moved to her other side and placed her arm around her.

"If it can be avoided, it will," Severus continued. "I expect that students will resist the slow and gradual reduction in status. I expect the three of you to play your roles by resisting me. By forming student groups who will fight it. These will be officially outlawed as term progresses. You will defy that. I will appear to attempt to restrain you. This will be a dance that we must choreograph very carefully. Potter, you are a figurehead for the Light. You must continue to fulfill that role at Hogwarts by fighting me. We will coordinate this in secret." He paused and looked at each one searchingly. "Do you understand?"

The three hesitated, but nodded, tears forming in Hermione's eyes. "I understand, sir," she said softly. "I just hate that it needs to happen." Ron tightened his hold on her, and she leaned into his touch. "I'll find a way to complete my education," she said resolutely.

"I have no great affection for you, Miss Granger, but I hate that our world will enter this period of darkness. I do hate to see talent and potential wasted, even among insufferable know-it-alls."

She nodded shakily.

Albus cleared his throat. "There will be more, many more, discussions of this nature. But perhaps there have been enough revelations for one evening?"

The three teenagers nodded shakily. Harry sat motionless, his thousand-yard stare the physical manifestation of the myriad of emotions coursing through him. Hermione stood, aided by Ron, who walked her from the room and up the stairs. After many long moments, Harry rose and left the room without a word.

"I hope we did the right thing," Minerva said. "So much for such young people to take in all at once."

"The world is more than anyone to take in these days," Remus said. "Hiding the truth only hurt things. It was a disaster. I think they've learnt from their experiences, and that informing them of everything is better than allowing them to fill the gaps." He shrugged. "They were never going to have an easy year, anyway. At least now they understand the situation."

None of them really were certain they would believe it.

* * *

Ron held Hermione firmly by the waist as he guided her to her room at the end of the corridor. Since Ginny wasn't here, she had the room to herself. As did he.

"Shh," he whispered as Hermione wept softly. He opened the door and gently led set her down on the bed, kneeling before her, eye to eye. "You'll finish your education, Hermione. And hopefully you won't have to leave Hogwarts. We'll figure something out. We'll stop this. I promise."

Hermione wanted to believe him desperately.

"It's just… it's a lot to take in, you know? We knew the world would be changing, but I don't think I realized just how much," she said shakily.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Hermione, and it won't if we can prevent it."

"I hope you're right."

"Hermione, I…" Ron hesitated. Hermione was clearly vulnerable, and so was he. At the same time, he was more aware of his mortality than he'd ever been before. Seeing Hermione in that hospital bed, watching her fall, feeling himself hexed, knowing Sirius had been killed…

Every moment was precious. It was time to stop wasting them.

Seizing whatever Gryffindor courage he had, he closed his eyes and leaned in, pressing his lips to Hermione's. She stilled at first, holding her breath, and then responded eagerly.

For a long time they explored each other's mouths, inexperienced though they were. Neither one had ever really done this before. Neither one had wanted to practice on anyone else. They had each been terrified the other would say no. They'd been even more terrified the other would say yes.

Now, in Hermione's bedroom, late in the evening, those fears all suddenly seemed very silly.

After what seemed like endless minutes they drew apart, leaning their foreheads together.

"What happens now?" Hermione whispered.

Ron chuckled. "I don't know," he said. "But I know I don't want to go back to the way things were."

"Neither do I," she said softly. "But I don't think this is the best time to start a relationship. The world is turning upside-down, and we're on the front line of a war."

"Exactly," Ron said, kissing her quickly. "Exactly. We could die tomorrow. And yes, this is a terrible time to even think of doing this.

He inhaled. "But it may never be the right time."

"We can't get distracted by each other. We have to be here for Harry, for the rest of them."

"We can still be here for Harry, Hermione. You and I always have. Even when we were at each other's throats, we were always here for him. We can be here for him like this, too."

Hermione felt the tears welling in her eyes again. She knew she was being a crybaby, but damnit it was all too much tonight. "I do want to be with you, Ron. I've wanted that for five years."

"Hermione…" Ron pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers again, more confidently than he had before, more skilled than he had been just minutes earlier. He did his best to still himself, keep himself under control, not to push things too far, too fast.

"Stay with me tonight," she whispered.

Ron's face went white and he swallowed hard. "St… stay in here? With you?" He shifted uncomfortably. "Hermione, I don't want to rush things…"

"Neither do I," she said. "So we won't. I just don't want to sleep alone tonight. I don't know if I can sleep otherwise, wondering if I'll ever have a place in this world anymore." She looked at him beseechingly. "Please stay."

He nodded, not trusting himself to touch her again or to say anything. He revered Hermione, always had. His insensitive remarks and immature antics over the years had been borne of the frustration of wanting desperately to impress a girl who was better than him at everything and in every way. As it turned out, she wanted him just for him. There was nothing he wouldn't do to keep that.

Nothing.

Lying side by side—Ron on top of the covers, Hermione under them—he reached out and held Hermione's hand.

"You'll always have a place in this world, Hermione," he whispered. "You'll always have a place with me."

* * *

Ron tiptoed out of Hermione's room just before dawn and made his way down to his own. He crept quietly, not wanting to attract the attention of anyone in the house. He'd been honorable with her, not touching her in any sexual way, merely sleeping beside her and providing comfort as she'd asked. He hadn't even kissed her, or attempted to kiss her. He'd held her hand all night. She'd slept; he hadn't. He preferred to watch her sleep, remembering how she tasted. No, they'd take it slow. They were under no more illusions; people died in this world. People they knew. He'd protect her and care for her. This wasn't about their hormones or their fantasies. It was about being there for each other.

But he didn't fancy explaining that to anyone.

He was so preoccupied with keeping quiet that he failed to notice a pair of eyes staring at him, a smirk on his face.

* * *

Hermione, being first to the kitchen, put the kettle on and stared blankly out the window at the garden outside. It was grey and foggy, like most London mornings. She had taken in much in the past twenty-four hours. What saddened her the most was not what she had already learnt, but rather the knowledge that this was only the beginning.

She sighed.

Taking the screaming kettle off the stove and filling the teapot, she was lost in her thoughts when she turned around and nearly scalded herself at the surprise of finding her potions professor sitting at the table.

"Good morning, Professor," she said softly, averting her eyes. She set the teapot before him and returned to the counter to grab the sugar, milk, and a second cup. "Tea?"

He nodded.

She sat down across from him. Normally, the idea of sharing her morning tea with Severus Snape would have been unusual. But given everything that had happened in the last day—hell in the last few weeks—she decided to go with it.

They sat in silence, contemplating the cups before them. She wondered why he didn't leave. She wondered why she didn't leave.

The silence was killing her. She had to break it somehow.

"Thank you, sir," she said.

He looked up at that. "For what?"

"Telling us the truth. Not sugar-coating anything. For trusting us."

"It has nothing to do with trust, Miss Granger," he said icily. "We discovered that withholding information from the three of you is reckless. Withholding information from you directly led to a man's death. Next time, it might be the death of someone less expendable than Black. We couldn't afford to take that risk. It was to keep the Order, and the members of the Order, alive."

He stood, glaring down at her. She ducked her head. Smirking, he made to leave but stopped at the last moment.

"Just one more thing, Miss Granger," he said. "If you and Mr. Weasley are going to fornicate in this house, your lover would do well to borrow Potter's Invisibility Cloak when sneaking out in the morning. It is none of my business, but do you really think that Molly Weasley will be as accommodating as I if she were to find out?"

Hermione was speechless and struggled to sputter out, "You… you were spying on us?"

He scoffed at that. "I assure you, Miss Granger, that I have no interest in what you and Weasley do, nor do I wish to. I also assure you that I have no desire to stalk the corridors of Headquarters. Let me just say that, in this house, the walls have eyes, and ears, and they talk."

_Phineas_, Hermione deduced. She would have to Silence that portrait. Literally.

"Good day to you, Miss Granger," Professor Snape said, giving her a mock bow before departing, leaving a shell-shocked Hermione in his wake.

"That was cruel," Remus said, standing cross-armed just outside the kitchen door.

"Your first lesson as a spy, Remus: denying yourself the little pleasures in life will doom you. Take opportunities as they come."

"You're despicable."

"I know." He gave Remus a look of complete indifference. "Now, do you intend to continue stalling by lecturing me on the appropriateness of my comments to Miss Granger, or are you ready to seize that vaunted Gryffindor bravery and come with me to meet your new Lord?"

"I'm not stalling!"

"And yet here we stand, not moving."

Remus wanted to rise above the taunt, but it was impossible. He glared at Severus, betraying the predator within, before storming out the front door, marching toward, he hoped, his destiny, rather than his own death.

* * *

_I suppose the rest of the Order should have been at that meeting, but meh. I liked having a smaller group of our core heroes. Plus, I really don't like Molly Weasley as a character, and I didn't want her cockblocking Ron and Hermione. Which she totally would have._

_EDIT (because I apparently have to say this until I'm blue in the face): Yes, this is an SSHG. But if you're looking for a story where characterization and canon are completely disregarded and these two fall into bed within five chapters while Hermione is underage, you've come to the wrong place. _


	5. I Want to Believe

_Okay, so people apparently absolutely, positively do NOT want to see Ron and Hermione together in any way, shape, or form._

_I don't either, in the end. Hence I write for this fandom. But here's your warning: my mind will not change about the direction of this story, and I don't take requests. So if it's not your cup of tea, fair enough. There are over 10,000 SSHGs on FFN alone, approximately 9,997 of which don't have anything charitable to say about Ron. I'll be sad to see you go, but great minds disagree sometimes. Nothing for it. If you want to know more about my thoughts on this, I've posted my dissertation on the subject on my profile (because I really, really don't want to have to get into this discussion with 20 people every chapter, and that seems to be the way this is shaping up) so pop over now if you want to read more. Or you can do it after you read. Or you can ignore it altogether and just enjoy the story for the amateur work of fiction it is, then grab a sandwich and move on with your life. I'm flexible._

_Now, who's ready to meet Voldy?_

* * *

Remus Lupin had been prepared for Voldemort to be suspicious, cruel, torturous, and violent. He had expected him to be megalomaniacal and diabolical, spewing pro-Pureblood propaganda to the gaggle of devoted, terrified followers.

He had not expected Voldemort to be charming. No matter how much Severus had tried to warn him.

He could see now how Voldemort had accumulated such loyal followers. He had the gift of captivating an entire audience, yet at the same time making each person feel special, like they were the only wizard in the world.

And the things he promised…

"You live as a second-class citizen, like an animal, because those in power believe that you should be kept hidden away. Forgotten. You have such potential, Remus. You have done so much. And yet you serve a man who has not lifted but a finger to try to improve your lot in life. Oh, yes, he employed you briefly, but what has he done to help you in terms of what you are?"

Remus shook his head. "He has done nothing," he said truthfully. "Nothing at all. Simply pretended that I am something other than what I am."

"And that troubles you, does it not, Remus?"

Again, Remus found that he did not have to lie. "It does."

"It troubles you enough that you would come to me mere weeks after fighting against me."

"I…" Remus hesitated. It was part act, part truth. "Had I known… had I known what would happen…"

"You would not have done so," Voldemort said, sounding almost sympathetic. "You had been led to believe that you were doing the right thing, You did not expect it to cost the life of someone you love."

"He wasn't supposed to be there," Remus said sadly. "In a battle, you always know, rationally, that you may lose those you love. But when it actually happens…"

"It is difficult," finished Voldemort. "Dumbledore promised you that Sirius Black would remain safe, and he failed to keep that promise."

Remus nodded shakily. "He did."

"You know, Remus, what Dumbledore and I want is not so very different, and yet at the same time could not be more different. Neither of us wants bloodshed, particularly the shedding of Magical blood. It is such a waste, so unnecessary. Yet Dumbledore prefers to maintain the status quo of keeping your kind in the shadows, turning you to lives of crime and poverty. Lord Voldemort, on the other hand, wishes to bring you into the light, to show off your true potential. To give you the freedoms you deserve."

Remus swallowed thickly. "I have dreamt of nothing else," he admitted.

Severus watched him closely, but not too closely.

Voldemort scrutinized Remus. Severus had taught Remus how to suppress his true loyalties and project everything else. He had told Remus that, even without Legilimency, Voldemort had an uncanny ability to read people and identify their deepest insecurities and greatest ambitions. Slytherins in general had an aptitude for it, but Voldemort was, and always had been, one of the keenest on that score.

_"You will find that you will have to do very little lying," he had said. "You will be surprised that much of what you say will be the truth. But take care; he has ways of laying traps that you will never see coming."_

_"So what am I to do?" Remus asked._

_Severus had sighed. "Remember what you are fighting for."_

The trickiest part came when Voldemort decided to ask him about Harry.

"You were his father's best friend," Voldemort remarked. "And yet you would betray him… Why would you be so disloyal, Remus?"

Remus brought to mind images of Harry along with feelings of loathing for what he had to do. Just in case Voldemort was looking. "He killed Sirius," he said softly.

"Bellatrix killed Sirius Black."

"If not for Harry, Sirius would never have left his safe house." Remus let the very real anger of Sirius's decision to leave bubble up inside him.

"And…?"

"And I'm tired of living in the shadows." Remus sighed. "If I continue to fight for Dumbledore, what future do I have to look forward to? I want another way. I'm tired of living like this. I want there to be another way. You can give it to me. And I can give you what you want."

"Hmm," Voldemort said with a snakelike smile. "I remember yet another person who came to me, who had once been loyal to the Potters, who came to me wanting a place in the new world, who was afraid that he would forever be subjugated in Dumbledore's."

Remus swallowed. "Wormtail?"

Voldemort nodded. "Wormtail." He narrowed his eyes. "Wormtail told me quite a bit about you, Remus. Said you cared for the Potter boy as if he were your own son. Said you would follow Albus Dumbledore to hell and back. Said you tried to kill him for what he did to James and Lily Potter. Oh yes, Remus, he told me many things."

"He also told me that you seemed very different from the wolf he knew. That you were broken. Destroyed by a world that would not forgive you for being what you are. He said you were but a shadow of your former self."

Voldemort took a step back and turned his head slightly. "Is that not what you saw, Wormtail?"

The lump of a man seemingly appeared out of nowhere and stood before Remus. "A broken, washed up, incomplete man who had accomplished nothing in his life and had no prospects of accomplishing anything in his future? Yes, My Lord, that is exactly what I saw."

Remus almost winced. The description was far too accurate for comfort.

"Not unlike you when you first approached me," Voldemort said. "A history of fierce loyalty to your friends, and yet a life without promise." He smiled. Voldemort smiled. And it was terrifying. "But Lord Voldemort built you into something greater than you ever thought you could be, did he not?"

"Oh, you did, My Lord," Wormtail said earnestly with the zeal of a true believer.

"And do you have faith in your Lord to do the same for Remus?"

Wormtail nodded again, eyes wide. "Oh, yes, My Lord." He offered his hand to Remus, who took it. "Oh yes, My Lord, I believe."

"Very well," Voldemort said, stepping back. "Remus, you will meet me again this evening. Severus will accompany you. You will be formally initiated into our family."

Remus bowed his head. "Thank you, M… My Lord." He hoped he sounded overcome rather than terrified.

Voldemort Disapparated with a crack. Only then did Remus look up… into the eyes of Peter Pettigrew. Wormtail. Wormtail who looked conniving and cruel, not at all the wide-eyed acolyte he had been moments earlier.

"He trusts me," Wormtail boasted. "Trusts me more than anyone. That's why he didn't use Legilimency on you. He doesn't think you worthy of it. It's _beneath_ him to enter your mind. So he trusts me to determine whether you should live or die. I could have had you killed a moment ago. I could have expressed doubt in you. You would have been dead before I'd finished my sentence. That is how high I have risen; the Dark Lord listens to _me_. I hold lives in my hands. Sometimes I let him kill them just for fun. Letting him kill you would have been fun. But not fun enough."

He took a step closer, sneering. "But don't be scared, Remus. I won't do that to you. No, it wouldn't do. Too much history between us. You're too useful, anyway. You know about Dumbledore, about the Order of the Phoenix, and, most importantly, what makes Harry Potter tick. If I were a betting man I would say he's like James, but then I'm not a betting man. There's a lot of Lily in him. And Lily… well, she always did complicate the situation in our little group. Didn't she? So I know, Remus. I know why you're here. You're here to spy."

He jerked Remus down, wrapped his arms around him, and spoke into his ear, making it appear to the casual observer as if the two old friends were embracing. "Don't worry, Remus, I won't betray you to the Dark Lord tonight. That would be too soon. Far too soon. We have much to do before we can get to that. First, we will extract every piece of useful information you possess: about Dumbledore, the Order, Potter, everyone. I can do it. I will. I will take everything I can from you, Remus Lupin. I already have, in so many ways. But I won't betray you to the Dark Lord even then. Oh no. Your death by his hand would be quick and painless. But you live for pain, don't you? With your transformations. With your cruel, superior remarks to those you called your friends, who you always thought you were better than. With those you cast aside and never deigned to treat as an equal. You just had to share your pain, didn't you? Had to make sure someone felt as bad as you did. You like pain, you _live_ for pain.

"So I won't disappoint you. I will make sure that you are destroyed, inch by inch, in the most painful way possible. I will see to it that you suffer. I will make you suffer. But I still won't let you die. No; I will take your intelligence to the Dark Lord himself, and oh how he will reward me when he sees how I have handed him Potter's head on a platter by using his trusted mentor against him. Only after you have watched the boy fail, and die, will I then tell him what you have been up to, and then, only then, will you die by his hand. And you will die by his hand. Just like James. Just like Sirius.

"Ah yes, Sirius. Don't think that I don't know about _that_, Remus. I do. I know just how long it went on, too. I know how he died smelling of you. Do you know that it was I who told the Dark Lord to use Sirius as a weapon to get Potter? They all think it was that bloody house-elf, but oh no, it was me. I convinced the Dark Lord. I will kill you like I killed him. I will do it to you, too. I will raise you up so that it hurts all the more when you eventually fall. But don't be afraid, Remus. I won't be coming for you just yet."

He pulled back, giving Remus a kiss on the cheek as he did. He whispered his last words directly into Remus's trembling skin. "But I will. And when I do, you can rest assured that I will burn the _heart_ out of you."

* * *

"I hate myself," Remus said, steadying himself on the castle wall.

"You're beginning to understand how this works," Severus replied flatly.

"No, I mean, I wanted to believe him. He said everything I've ever wanted anyone to say to me, and I know he's lying and evil and twisted but… damnit, I wanted to believe him with every fibre of my being. I wanted what he told me to be true." He sighed. "I still do."

"How do you think he got where he is today? By _not_ telling people what they want to hear?"

Remus scowled at Severus. "I should have known that you wouldn't understand."

"I understand better than most."

"And yet you stand here mocking me!"

"Lupin, I don't know what Albus told you, but sharing our feelings after every meeting with the Dark Lord is not a part of this experience."

"I just… I never once expected that I would react like this. That I would feel anything other than hatred for that man, that _thing_."

"Untold depths," Severus said sarcastically. He absently fished a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. At the sound of the cardboard opening, Remus's eyes were on Severus and the cigarettes, his attention entirely focused.

Severus sighed and offered the packet. "They're available in any corner shop, you know."

"Shut up."

They smoked in silence for awhile. No doubt Dumbledore was off humming to himself somewhere, happy that his two spies had found a mutually enjoyable hobby.

"I still don't understand how this will work," Remus said. "Dumbledore was sacked for putting me on staff. Why wouldn't the same happen to you?"

"I told you," Severus said agitatedly, "that I have friends in places he does not."

"And I still don't—"

Severus angrily threw the last remnant of his cigarette on the ground. "This is not the first time Dumbledore has been ousted by the Board of Governors during his tenure; this is merely the only time he has decided not to fight it. Not three years ago he was relieved of his position by the Board. Last year he was ordered out by Umbridge and the Board of Governors ratified it. They have wanted him out for years. But because he is the great Albus Dumbledore, they have always caved in the end. The only reason that Dumbledore is not Headmaster anymore is because he _chooses_ to not be Headmaster anymore. You, like everything else, were a pretext. They have wanted him out for years. He may be a great wizard, but he was a terrible administrator and has the blood of more students on his hands than all previous Heads of Hogwarts _combined_. Their report is not public; they can say whatever they want about Dumbledore's dismissal. My understanding is that it is being spun as a voluntary retirement on Albus's part. If I bring you on, they probably won't care. They will only care that I bring in the budget on time and keep the deaths to a minimum, or at least keep them out of the press. Less trouble for them, less actual work they have to do."

"But the friends you mentioned…"

"Oh, do try and keep up. You're going to have to think faster than this to survive in this game; I too was confused at first but then I sat down for five minutes and thought about it. I suggest you do the same. Dumbledore had people in his corner on the Board for years, that's how he stayed on so long despite the numerous student injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Many resigned in the wake of the Umbridge fiasco, and thus he was exposed. Do you really imagine the Dark Lord has no people on the Board as well? He has them at the Ministry and in Diagon Alley and in the Muggle government. He of course has people on the Board. Lucius Malfoy led the charge last time, boldly and stupidly and publicly. Now he's in Azkaban, though likely not for long. There are others, sympathizers, who have power on that Board. Two I am positive of, and another three I suspect. They will be content to look the other way whilst I am in charge, and make sure the others on the Board do as well."

"So the only person we have to fear will oust you from your position will be—"

"The Dark Lord himself, yes. Which is why it is so important that you be the spy for both the Order and Hogwarts. If you keep him happy, then he will likely leave me alone, at least for now. If he were to come out in full force, there would be resistance. Strong resistance. He will want to avoid that. He will want to win people over slowly, more subtly. I give it a year. A year before I have to turn over the faculty, before I have to bar the Muggle-borns, and before things really heat up in this conflict. We haven't much time to lose. Things might be just a tad easier for me to deal with if you were to just accept my word as Gospel."

Remus considered him. "You've put a lot of thought into this."

"It's been my life for the last twenty years."

* * *

Euphoria didn't even come close to describing it.

It was security and acceptance. It was the promise of adventure and greatness. It was the feeling of belonging, _finally_ belonging, to something. It was terrifying and thrilling. It was higher than his greatest high, more powerful than his most intense orgasm, more empowering than anything. The pain of his scars and transformations and his _freakishness_ all seemed to melt away with this one new mark etching itself into his left forearm.

It was bliss.

When the blinding light of pleasure faded away, there was nothing but Lord Voldemort standing before him. Smiling. Offering his hand. Remus took it without hesitation.

"Welcome," Voldemort said as warmly as possible for someone like him.

"Thank you, My Lord."

"You will accept Severus's offer of a position at Hogwarts teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. You need not be concerned about your ability, or his, to remain employed. I will see to the Board. You are one us now, and we take care of our people."

"Yes, My Lord."

"I admit," Voldemort continued, raising his voice to speak to address both Severus and Remus at the same time, "that I had hoped that Severus's ascension to Head of Hogwarts would mean that Harry Potter would be delivered to me by week's end. I now realize that, as yet, he remains a figurehead. My numbers are diminished after the Ministry. I cannot afford to do so now. Therefore, I will not ask that you bring him to me. Work on converting people to our way of thinking. The less protection he has when the time comes, the smoother the transition will be."

"Yes, My Lord," Severus said. Remus bowed his head.

"Until we meet again," Voldemort said before Disapparating.

Remus opened his mouth to speak, but Severus grasped him firmly by the forearm and Disapparated them both before he could. He Apparated them once, twice, three times in rapid succession. When the world stopped spinning, they found themselves on the street before a ramshackle row house in a decrepit town. Well, "town" was probably too generous a word. It was just… brown. Brown sky, brown roads, brown houses. He looked to his right. Brown water in a brown canal.

A world of brown.

He was violently shoved into this… shack… and Severus shut and warded the door quickly.

"What was that for?"

"The Dark Lord likely left a spy behind. He doesn't trust you yet; he doesn't know you yet. And he doesn't really trust me enough. So we needed to get to a secure location immediately before you opened your gob and got us both killed."

"I… sorry." He looked around. The room was tiny, shabby, dusty. Dark. "But we're in a secure location now?"

"The most secure location. More secure than even Hogwarts right now."

The question was burning in Lupin's mind. "Why weren't there more Death Eaters there?"

"Remember how I told you that the Dark Lord believes that the Order is run as a collection of cells?"

"Yes."

"You now see where I got the idea."

"So you don't ever meet as a large group?"

"And have revels? Torture Muggles for fun? No. I know a fair number of Death Eaters, but as to the complete roster, no."

"That… that makes things difficult."

"You must always play your role outside the inner circle of the Order, yes. You never know who might be watching."

"I see."

"It does help that most of them are in Azkaban right now. He was more willing to take a chance on you out of desperation if nothing else. Not unlike Dumbledore, if you think about it."

"Cheers."

The two men stood in silence for a moment. Remus finally looked around.

"What… what is this place?" Remus wrinkled his nose at the sour air.

Severus's face twisted into a sneer. "Oh, I'm so _sorry_ Lupin, is this not grand enough for you?"

"No, it's not that, I just wondered… you said it was more secure than Hogwarts… oh." Remus raised his eyebrows. "This, this is your home?"

"Brilliant, Lupin, rather brilliant. I can see you'll catch on quickly."

"Is this where you lived when we were at school?"

"So what if it was?" Severus was getting defensive now. And Dumbledore wasn't there to interfere.

"I… I had no idea." Remus met his eyes, looking bewildered. "Truly, Severus, I had no idea."

"Why would you have? I didn't exactly go around advertising it, did I?"

Remus sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Your pity at my meager lifestyle. I neither want it nor need it."

"That's not it at all, I'm sorry that I never knew. I might have… I should have…"

"Enough. We have work to do."

"What work?"

"Figure out how to appease the Dark Lord whilst limiting the number of casualties. In other words, we are going to floo Minerva, and the three of us are going to plan the upcoming school year."

"Wait."

"For _what_?" Severus sniped.

"Wormtail," Remus said. "He… he said things to me."

Severus looked bored. "And what did he say?"

"He threatened to kill me, actually. But not before exposing me as a fraud to V- to the Dark Lord."

"He always was a bit… unhinged."

Remus scoffed. "I knew him, Snape. He was simpering, sniveling, and slow."

"Simpering, sniveling, and slow like fox. You never suspected that he would be the one to turn. I know you admitted to Black that you suspected he was the traitor. It never even occurred to you to think twice about him. You shared confidential information right in front of him, assuming he could neither understand nor use it, and there he was, funneling it back to the Dark Lord all the while. Rather stupid of you all."

"Mad Eye never suspected him."

"Neither did Dumbledore."

"You could have told us."

"Were you not listening to me? Cells."

"So what do we do about him, then? The man can transform into a bloody rat. He could sneak into the school through any nook or cranny."

"I suspect he already has, in the past."

"That… that's disheartening."

"I suppose we have our work cut out for us, then, haven't we?"

* * *

_I don't think I have words to describe how excited I am about Crazy!Wormtail. Some of his lines are taken from Jim Moriarty in BBC's "Sherlock." If you don't know what I'm talking about, drop what you're doing _right now_ and go watch all six episodes of BBC Sherlock, because it's the greatest TV series ever made. Go on. I'll wait._

_Chapter title is taken from Mulder's poster in "The X Files."_


	6. Improv Hour

_Crazy!Wormtail is a big hit! Can't tell you how happy that makes me. Canon!Wormtail is pretty damn ruthless. I think he's directly caused the death of more people than just about anyone. I would have thought more authors would have taken him in this direction. Anyway, in this chapter we finally get to see Headmaster Snape in action. Hold on to your hats. It's going to get bumpy._

* * *

"So."

"So?"

"_So_."

"So what?"

"So you two are sitting awfully close together."

"So what if we are?"

"Yeah, it's not like that means anything."

"You never, not once in six years, have sat so close to each other on the Hogwarts Express."

"You're reading far too much into this, Harry."

"I just sat down! Didn't even pay attention where."

"I'm not stupid, you know."

"Of course you're not, Harry, no one is saying anything of the sort. You're very clever."

"We're together."

"Ronald!"

"It wasn't going to work! Stupid idea to try to keep it a secret from him, anyway."

"Yeah, why try to keep it from me? I'm hurt. I'm your best friend!"

"It just didn't seem… right, you know? After everything that happened, to do this…"

"You should have told me."

"If you got accused by Professor Snape of, of… of doing _things_, you'd be more careful about covering your tracks, too."

"Say _what_?"

"And we didn't want it to get weird between all of us. Plus, given everything that's going on, we knew it would look selfish. Getting off while Professor Snape and Professor Lupin put their lives on the line."

"Yeah, about that, get back to the part about Snape accusing you two of doing 'things'?"

"But yeah, so far so good, mate."

"I'm happy for you."

"Cheers."

"Thank you."

"Was wondering when the two of you would come to your senses about this."

"It was… complicated."

"Very."

"Right."

"But yes, Ron's right, it was stupid to think we should keep it from you. I'm sorry, Harry."

"No worries, I get it. I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you."

"So…"

"So _what_?"

"So, what did Snape catch you two doing?"

"Oh, for God's sake…"

"Leave it, mate."

"I'm just saying, did he walk in on you shagging or what?"

"We have NOT been shagging!"

"You want to keep your voice down?"

"Good. Because I don't know if I'd have been able to keep a straight face around him if he did."

"Oh God, we've got to meet with him regularly, haven't we? And soon! I don't think I can handle this."

"It's alright, love."

"It is _not_ alright! It is very much not alright."

"At least we don't have any classes with him."

"Officially."

"God, this year is going to be pants."

"You-Know-Who is breathing down our necks, Dumbledore's been sacked, Lupin's a spy, and you say only now that this year is going to be bad because Snape knows about us?"

"Well the other stuff I can handle."

"You're mental."

"I know."

"You two are demented. You're made for each other... So really, what did Snape catch you doing?"

"Harry!"

"Nothing, unfortunately."

"Ronald!"

* * *

As the Hogwarts Express weaved its way through the Midlands, three figures stood on top of the Astronomy tower: Headmaster. Deputy. Professor. All smoking.

"I gave these up thirty years ago," Minerva mused.

"No you didn't, you only claim that you did. Plenty more where these came from," Severus said. "I think we're all going to need them to get through this year."

Remus's hands trembled as he shakily brought the cigarette to his lips. "We're going to make a habit of this, then? Smoking together on the Astronomy Tower like a group of delinquents?"

"Certainly not," Severus scoffed. "This is the calm before the storm. Our last hours of freedom. We are going to enjoy it."

"Since when do you enjoy anything?"

Severus scowled. "I can enjoy things."

"You think we will live to see the end of this year?" Remus pondered.

"No," Severus said simply.

"You could at least pretend to be a bit optimistic."

"And you could learn to not ask questions to which you are not prepared to hear the answers."

"Why do this, then?"

"You think I do this because I want to?"

"You said so yourself: it's _fun_. It feels _good_."

"Dark magic, yes. School administration… that is quite another."

"So, what, you had no other choice?"

"I had no other choice."

"And now we wait."

"And now we wait."

"Stop repeating me."

"Boys," Minerva said warningly.

* * *

The Great Hall was far more reserved than even a typical dinner, let alone the Welcoming Feast. Everyone was a bit more subdued than usual, speaking in quieter tones, sitting up that much straighter, as if they feared that acting any differently would bring the swift hammer of justice upon them.

The fear was not unfounded. Severus's appointment to Headmaster had been… somewhat less than well-received in _The Prophet_. Not due to his personality or his history, but because of his House. _Can a Slytherin Run Hogwarts?_ the banner headline had asked. The "should" had been omitted, but understood all the same. They didn't expect him to last through the fall term. But he would. The Dark Lord's people on the Board would see to that.

No parents had pulled their children out. Yet. They would, as this year moved on. As many as possible, he hoped.

He avoided eye contact with any of the faculty. The morning's meeting had gone as well as he had hoped. They, of course, missed Dumbledore terribly, and while they had never been friends, they had always respected him. His edict allowing Heads of House freedom to leave the castle three out of four weekends every month was met with much gratitude, particularly from Horace. The perk had been one of many he had had to offer to get the man back. The rest took it as an apology from him that he wasn't Dumbledore, and he let them take it as one.

He cut through the thick tension in the room to take his place at the podium for the beginning of term announcement. Dumbledore's podium.

For the most part, he stuck to Dumbledore's script, which considerably relaxed the students. Cheers went up for the return of Remus Lupin, and the Slytherins applauded more loudly than others at the introduction of Horace Slughorn. Their parents must have told them about him.

Now for his own additions.

He cleared his throat. "Sixth years applying for their NEWT-level coursework will have their schedules approved in advance by their Head of House before final application and approval by the Headmaster's office. Houses will apply in order. Slytherin will have first choice of classes, followed by Ravenclaw, then Hufflepuff, and, if there is any room left over, Gryffindor."

"That's bullshit," Severus heard someone mutter in the Gryffindor table's direction. _Good_.

"Profanity has no place at Hogwarts, Mr. Finnegan," Severus said, picking a Gryffindor at random. "Thirty points from Gryffindor."

"Oi!" Finnegan shouted.

"And a further thirty for talking out of turn," Severus said smoothly, not even turning his head. Really, he was beginning to see an upside to his new predicament.

He heard a loud snigger from the Slytherin table. He cast a glance in that direction, to indicate that he heard it, but said nothing. "Budget cuts have reduced capcacity for class sizes, so space will be limited in many NEWT-level subjects. Regrettably, many who will apply for classes will not be successful.

"Additionally," he continued, "the Ministry have requested that Hogwarts improve its recordkeeping for all students. All students will present themselves to their Head of House at a time to be appointed for registration. Blood status will now be a required piece of demographic information for the school to collect."

A murmur of voices rose. "All changes to the school administration are done in an effort to improve the school after years of neglect." The cacophony rose at the implications of that statement.

"And what does collecting information about blood status have to do with improving the school?"

Severus slowly turned his gaze on the source of the voice. Its owner was standing up, staring Severus square in the eye.

Longbottom.

_Longbottom?!_

"Sixty points, Mr. Longbottom, and you are owed no explanation."

"Because there is no bloody explanation that could justify such a thing," Longbottom spat.

"One hundred and twenty points, Longbottom." He wondered how many points it would take for Longbottom to figure out he was doubling the penalty each time.

Another student stood up at the Gryffindor table, this one in Ravenclaw robes. Blond, vacant, appeared to be stoned. Lovegood. Severus briefly wondered what she was doing at the Gryffindor table. Then again, he had once found her hanging upside-down in the Owlery, fast asleep.

Oh, well. Points were points.

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw, Miss Lovegood, you will sit with your House. Two hundred and forty points, Mr. Longbottom, for failing to stop her."

A hand reached up to pull Longbottom down. From Severus's vantage point, it looked like a deranged poodle. Granger.

"Miss Granger, you have five seconds to rein in your housemate or you will be placed last in the queue for Gryffindor sign-ups for NEWT courses."

He counted in his head. He made it to two-and-a-half seconds before Longbottom sat down.

"You have failed, Miss Granger. You will be given last priority for classes."

Weasley stood up, furious.

"Twenty points for skin that exceeds the redness of your hair, Mr. Weasley."

"You can't just bully students!" Potter had stood up now, looking furious. "They have a right to know what you're doing and why!"

"Actually, Potter, yes, I can, and no, they do not. You, Granger, Weasley, Lovegood, and Longbottom will report to Professor McGonagall immediately and then be produced in my office in all due haste. My best wishes to all students for a productive year. This concludes the Welcoming Feast."

* * *

Severus stormed up the stairs to his new office, furious, and threw open the door, startling the visitors in his office: Potter, Granger, Weasley, Lovegood, Longbottom, and Minerva.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" he spat. "You had one bloody instruction to follow tonight!"

"We did!" Weasley protested.

"No, you did not. I told you to protest. I told you to make a scene. I did _not_ tell you to involve Neville bloody Longbottom."

"You don't object to me?" Lovegood asked.

"Lovegood, I'm not even entirely certain that you are a real person."

"Oh, what harm did it do?" Minerva asked. "You got what you wanted. Gryffindor is now the underdog. Potter and his friends are the face of the resistance. You are reviled by three Houses and revered by a fourth."

Severus grabbed Potter by the arm none to gently and shoved him toward the back of the room. "I need a word," he hissed. He positively threw Potter through a doorway and slammed it shut.

"You cannot go around recruiting whoever you damn well please. Lives are at stake!"

"It would look odd if I didn't include Neville or Luna, they fought with me at the Ministry."

"For God's sake… Potter, you didn't 'fight' at the Ministry. These are not your comrades in arms. You nearly cost them their lives with your folly, by making rash decisions without considering all the facts, or stopping for just one second to consider how much you did not know about the situation."

"We fought side by side against Voldemort himself!"

"Potter, _you_ did not fight Voldemort, Dumbledore did."

"I did fight him! In my mind. _The psychopath invaded my bloody mind!_"

"Language, Potter!"

"You don't know what it's like! He still does it, you know. Not intentionally, like before, not trying to actually read anything, but I still feel him inside of me. It's hell, do you know that? Knowing that you feel what he feels, see what he sees when he does the horrible things that he does? Knowing that he could switch over and read what I'm doing at the very same time? Knowing that every time I talk to you or anyone else about him, he could be fucking _listening_?"

Severus saw that Harry Potter was shouting at him in a mix of both rage and fear. A very dangerous combination, particularly for him. The boy was never going to master Occlumency, even in a rudimentary sense. Almost everyone could master it just a little, and perhaps he could, too, when he grew older and matured a bit more, but clearly that wasn't going to happen this year. Short of the Dark Lord simply deciding to practice Occlumency against him (ha!) they would have to think of something. Because the boy was right: the Dark Lord could be listening in on just about anything, any time. That was dangerous. Too dangerous.

Severus swallowed and spoke the most difficult words he'd ever had to utter in his life.

"You're right, Potter."

Harry looked at him, shocked, as if he thought he'd heard wrong. _Let him_, Severus thought. _I'm not saying it twice_.

"The Dark Lord has the capacity to listen to your thoughts, read your emotions, and project false images into your head. Whilst I doubt he will try the gamut of luring you away with a false vision again, I think it quite possible that he will attempt to break your mind down by projecting horrifying images."

"He has been," Harry whispered. "In my dreams. I see things. Things that are so vivid they seem like memories, only they're not _my_ memories. They're his." He averted his eyes. "I do try, Professor. I hate seeing these things in my head. They got S… Sirius killed. I can't stop it. I want to stop it, but the more I try to suppress it, the harder it becomes, and it becomes all I can think about."

"Try harder."

"I'm trying as hard as I can!"

"Try harder."

Harry glared at him, then turned and walked back into the main office where the rest of the group remained. Severus thought about calling him out for his disrespect, but he just didn't have it in him. Minerva would likely slap him in front of all of them, and that would undermine his authority far more. Better to let this one go.

For now.

* * *

Two hours later, no solution had been reached. Harry had assured them that he never felt flashes of Voldemort's thoughts or feelings during his waking hours, and even consented to Severus conducting Legilimency to determine whether he was secretly listening. If he had been witnessed doing that… well, they would deal with that later.

"We have to do something," Minerva said. "Or we have to call it night. Two hours is the most you can reasonably expect people to believe for a trip to the Headmaster's office for causing a disruption in the Great Hall, particularly if you wish to give the impression that the punishments will be severe for having done so."

Severus sighed. Minerva was right. They would have to adjourn. The little Gryffindor uprising had bought them some time to strategize, as it had intended, but they were more lost than they had been before.

"I believe that we should meet again in another week," Severus said finally. "Weasley, Granger, I leave it up to you to come up with the plan this time. Something self-righteous and nauseatingly noble will do."

"What should we be self-righteous about?" Ron asked.

"I have no doubt your girlfriend will have no shortage of Causes," Severus replied, pronouncing the last word in such a way that they could hear the capitalization.

"No one pays attention to my causes," Hermione pouted. "Like with S.P.E.W." Ron became very interested in his shoelaces at that moment. "I'm a terrible choice for this."

"Yeah, we should have me lead the charge, that would catch people off-guard. Focus all the attention on me, distract people from the real warrior among us."

Severus's head snapped up at that last remark. His students all sat up straighter out of habit.

"Say that again," he said.

Ron stumbled over the words, but repeated his statement. "We should focus all the attention on me, then Hermione could work without attracting the wrong kind of attention."

Severus sprang to his feet. "To your dormitories, all of you." Severus said. He met Minerva's eye. "Get Albus."

* * *

"Do you remember what you said to me, in a failed attempt at comfort, the night that L… the night the Dark Lord fell?"

Albus's expression softened. "I said a great many things, Severus."

Severus shook his head and began pacing. "You said something to me, something that I dismissed at the time as completely irrelevant and unhelpful. And it was, until earlier tonight the Weasley boy said something that brought it back to mind."

"Which is what?"

Severus hesitated, but continued pacing as he spoke. "You said to me, 'It isn't your fault. He could just as easily have chosen Alice.' Do you remember that?"

Albus nodded.

"He could just as easily have chosen Alice. Albus, the prophecy could also apply to Longbottom."

Albus shook his head this time. "No, Severus, I do not believe that it can."

"What do you mean?"

"Because you have only ever heard the first part. The rest of it clearly stated that Voldemort would mark the 'Chosen One' as his equal. He marked Harry."

"But that's exactly my point, Albus. Everyone expects Potter to be special. The Dark Lord has marked Potter as his enemy. What if Potter played the part as hero, but in the background we had others working on this: bring the entire Order in and secretly plot his downfall. Not wait for Potter to save us, not keep secrets, but rather put Potter out as a distraction. He can't get enough attention."

"That's not fair," Minerva tutted. "And what of the boy's safety? You plan to dangle him like a worm on a hook and hope you can snatch him back before he's eaten alive?"

"The boy will be protected as long as he is here, as he always has been. The Dark Lord will not strike at him directly whilst Albus is, for lack of a better term, 'at large.' Had you once again holed up here, you would be a target. Now, he can't be sure where he is and what he does."

"And if the Dark Lord should use Legilimency on him and learn that he is but a decoy? With all the information the boy still has?"

Severus shifted his feet. "I'm working on that." He looked to Albus hopefully, but the old man just shook his head.

"I'm at a loss as well," he said sadly. "Voldemort is Occluding Harry right now. At present, all we can do is hope that he continues to do so."

"With all eyes focused on Potter, and with the Dark Lord Occluding, we can strike now, when the time is right. He is weak now; half his lieutenants are in Azkaban. We should act quickly."

Albus shifted his eyes from Severus to Minerva and finally to the floor.

"There is a flaw in that plan, Severus. You'd better call Remus up here. There is something you all should know. Something that Voldemort has done. Something that we must undo."

* * *

"Horcruxes?"

Albus nodded.

"Plural?"

Severus opened his mouth again to speak, but then shut it.

Minerva shook her head. "Oh, Albus, you weren't going to send the boy on his own to destroy them?"

Albus at least had the decency to look the tiniest bit ashamed.

"How many?" Remus asked.

"That I do not know," Albus admitted. "But there is someone at Hogwarts who might."

"Who?"

"Horace."

"I won't ask how Horace Slughorn knows about Horcruxes, or knows about the Dark Lord's intentions with Horcruxes, but he'll die before he tells you," Minerva said.

"Oh, I'm sure we won't need to actually kill him," Severus said conversationally. "He won't be on his guard without you here, Albus."

"But few men are more paranoid than he," Minerva pointed out.

"Easily bribed, though," Severus said.

"Is that how you got membership in that stupid club?" Remus asked.

"Still jealous after all these years, are you?"

Remus huffed but said nothing.

"In any case," Albus continued, "We need to know how many. One has already been destroyed, as we have discussed. I believe I know the location of a second."

"Albus Dumbledore, you are not going out there on your own to attempt to destroy it," Minerva said in her sharpest clip. "I know you, and I know you believe you can do it, but you are not going alone. Too much is at stake for us to lose you."

Albus opened his mouth, but shut it, then took a breath before speaking again.

"I won't be going alone," he assured them. "I have learned much the last months. I will not go alone."

"You shouldn't go at all," Severus pointed out. "I can assist you."

"You are needed here and you know it," Remus said.

"I have someone else in mind," Albus said. "But it is late, and the specifics are not important at this hour."

"I'm warning you, Albus," Minerva said.

"I promise."

* * *

The cat stalked the corridors of Hogwarts like an assassin. She rounded a corner and met up with her two associates, two other cats. Free of their owners, they sat in a corner, seemingly staring at one another, but in reality comparing notes.

Cats could communicate more with flicks and blinks than most humans could with all the language in the world at their disposal.

After a few minutes of seeming stillness, they went their separate ways. Until tomorrow night.

* * *

Albus stood patiently as the sound of feet heavily clomping down the stairs grew louder. Clearly he had chosen a bad time to call. He hummed as he waited.

The door flew open. "Professor!" Despite a shirt that was only half-buttoned and unkempt hair, the man stood at attention like a foot soldier in the presence of a general.

"I do apologize for the rude interruption at such an uncommon hour, but I wonder if I might come in?"

"Of course."

Seated in the living room a few minutes later, Albus explained what he came for.

"It will be very dangerous," he finished.

His companion blew out a sigh. "To say the least. But of course I will help you."

"The objects are likely to be cursed, and disentangling the curses will be no easy feat. I would be putting you at risk."

"We are all at risk. I have the privilege of being able to do something about it. I am at your service."

"I will endeavor to provide as much protection as possible. I know what is at stake for you, and I will work to keep it safe." Albus stood up and clapped the man on his shoulder. "Thank you, Bill."

* * *

_Just a thought, Dumbledore: if you're going to go after cursed objects, it would make an awful lot of sense to bring the Order's professional curse-breaker with you. I can't believe I have to actually spell that out, but here we are._

_The style in first part of this chapter was a bit experimental. I'd love to hear thoughts on whether you thought it worked._

_Just a friendly reminder, folks: If you leave me a review asking me a question, I can't answer you unless you sign in with your FFN account and enable your PMs. Joining FFN is free, easy, and mostly painless. Mostly._

_Next chapter may be a bit later than usual. I'll do what I can to get it out in the next couple of weeks._


	7. W

_Mixed reviews on last chapter's experiment. Thank you to all who provided feedback._

* * *

Severus passed Remus the cigarettes. "You haven't been summoned," Severus said.

Remus shook his head as he lit the cigarette with his wand. "No." He didn't sound terribly bothered by the idea. "Why do you ask?"

"Don't you think it's strange that the term has already started and he has not summoned either one of us?"

"Should I?"

Severus shrugged. "Very difficult to say. Last year I was not summoned terribly often; his more pressing concern was how to free the cell who had been imprisoned. This year he does not have that on his mind."

"What do you think he's focused on instead?"

"I don't know."

"Okay."

"It's not okay. Once of us _should_ know."

"Well, if you had to guess, what would it be?"

"Honestly, Lupin, I don't know. If Dumbledore were still here as Headmaster, I would imagine he would target him for assassination. With Dumbledore in parts unknown, at least to his mind, the task becomes considerably more difficult. So if you can't kill, Dumbledore, what do you do instead?"

Remus shrugged. "I don't know. If you can't take out the other side's leader, I suppose you try to thin their numbers?"

Severus nodded. "Not a bad guess. I suppose I would expect the same."

"He wouldn't be focused here, then. He doesn't know you and Minerva are in the Order."

"He won't put his entire focus here, no. But Hogwarts is very important to him and always has been. He will always care about it. That's why I worry."

"About Wormtail?"

"Or someone else, but Wormtail is most likely, given his rank and the fact that he's already directly threatened you."

"But you think he will focus elsewhere?" Remus asked hopefully.

Severus exhaled his smoke slowly. "I would put my money on his focus being the Ministry. Put people on the inside, build up his stronghold there, so that when he is ready to strike, he will have his framework in place and the transition will be smooth."

* * *

Hermione slammed her schedule on the Gryffindor table with such force it rattled the goblets.

"What?" Ron asked, looking frightened. He began mentally cataloguing everything he'd said to Hermione in the last day or so to see where he'd gone wrong.

"You know what classes are left for me to take? Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic, Ancient Runes, and _Divination_." Her voice shook as she sat down. A visibly-relieved Ron put his arm around her shoulder.

"Nothing else was available?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. All the NEWT-level courses people need for _actual_ careers were full. Snape cut the size of enrollment." Her face crumpled and she covered it with her hands. "I knew this was coming, but it hurts!" She began to sob, and Ron pulled her closer.

Up at the high table, Severus watched them impassively, while Minerva clucked her tongue.

"You know why I had to do it," Severus murmured.

"I do," she agreed. "I just hate to see promise go to waste."

Severus shook his head. "As if she needed to sit through these courses anyway. She could probably take her NEWTs this afternoon and score off the charts."

Minerva raised her eyebrows. "Severus Snape, I daresay that was a compliment."

Severus sneered. "Don't be bloody foolish."

* * *

"Professor, wait!"

Bill Weasley yanked Albus back from the ring he had nearly touched. "We have to check it for curses, first. If this is a horcrux, he's likely to have protected it. And I can positively feel the dark magic radiating off of it. Can't you?"

Albus shook his head. "Y-yes, of course, you are right." He did not tear his eyes from the ring for even a second. "I say, Bill… do you notice the engraving on it?"

"Hmm?" Bill asked distractedly as he Leviosaed the ring and turned it over and over in mid-air before him. "Yeah, something on here." He leaned in as close as he dared. "It looks like a triangle with a line down the center and then a circle drawn inside."

He barely had time to put up a shield charm as Albus lunged toward it. "Professor, what are you doing?"

"I must have that ring." Albus was as serious as he'd ever been.

"Professor, no, I told you, it's cursed. I just checked it – it's positively layered with curses. So many that I can't undo them. Not only that, you're right, it's a horcrux. We'll have to destroy it."

Bill would never say so out loud, but he could swear Albus's eyes flashed red for a moment.

"You will not destroy this ring," Albus said in a dangerous voice.

"We have to," Bill said. "No choice. We have to."

"You have no idea what this is."

Bill backed away, keeping the ring with him. "I don't care what it is, we have to destroy it."

Albus calmly strode over to Bill. "This is an order, Bill. Hand it over. Now."

Bill swallowed. "No, sir. Something's happening to you. I won't let you hurt yourself. This ring, it'll kill you if you touch it."

He jumped out of the way as Albus lunged at him. "Give me the ring!"

"No!"

"But it's my last chance!"

"Sir, _please_!"

"NOW!"

"_STUPEFY_!"

Bill panted as Albus crumpled to the floor unconscious. He hand never seen the old man like that before. He had been crazed for the ring. He shook his head. Better destroy it before he came to. He would deal with the consequences of his insubordination after the deed was done.

Albus had warned him that only the Sword of Gryffindor, Basilisk venom, or FiendFyre could destroy a horcrux. Bill had intended to return to Hogwarts and use the sword, but he couldn't risk it now. He had to destroy it now, before Albus came to. He had never conjured FiendFyre before, but he knew the theory, and trusted his control enough to be able to wield it. He closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself.

When he opened them, he caught something shiny. The Sword of Gryffindor was lying at his feet.

Bill smirked.

As Bill poised the sword over his head, the ring began to shake and a voice – he did not know whose – began to echo inside his mind.

_They will all die. You cannot protect them. She will die. Your parents will die. Your brothers will die. Your sssssssister will die._

Bill shut his eyes and tried to will the voice away, but couldn't.

_You cannot sssssssssave them._

Horrible images filled his mind. His parents, dead. His sister, carried away by Death Eaters. His brothers, fallen in battle. Fleur, his Fleur, killed in front of him, her body at his feet and her lifeless eyes staring up with him, her belly swollen with his child, also dead.

"NO!"

With one fierce stroke, Bill struck the ring down the center. A horrible scream erupted from the stone, and a flash of light blinded him. Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended. The ring sat in a smoking, twisted heap. The stone lay next to it, in two halves.

It was destroyed. The air in the room, which had seemed so thick just a moment earlier, was suddenly clear and clean and light.

He felt brilliant.

Bill turned around to look at Albus, who had come to and watched him destroy the ring. Bill swallowed. "Sir, I…"

Albus held up a hand. "No, Bill, you were right to act as you did. I thought… well, I thought wrong." He took Bill's proffered hand and got to his feet.

"Thank you, Bill. I should not like to imagine what might have happened had you not been here."

* * *

"You did it once before, you can do it again."

"It wasn't all me."

"If you think I will believe you when you say those three idiots managed this bit of magic, you can think again."

"But it's been so long."

"Stop making excuses. I want another one. And I want to be able to search for and follow specific people."

Remus sighed. The Marauder's Map had been a bit of a laugh. Sirius had dreamed it up, he had merely made it happen. He would have done anything to make Sirius happy.

He swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Enough sentimentality. You have a job to do."

Remus sneered. _What did Severus know of this kind of pain? Nothing, that's what._

"I thought you and the house-elves sealed everything off."

"We did, but you know that in a castle this size something is likely to be overlooked, despite the best of intentions."

"You could have banned rats as pets."

"And signal to the Dark Lord that I wish to hide something from his sycophant? I might as well _Avada_ myself. Much cleaner and faster."

"Do you really want to wake up one morning to find Wormtail in here? The castle has been sealed up as tightly as possible, but we both know that if the rat wants to get in, he will get in."

"So set up a ward to go off if he does get in."

"Which will allow him time to alert the Dark Lord? You do realize that the point of this is to hide our betrayal from the Dark Lord." After a beat, he asked, "Right?"

"Of course I know. You know I know. You also know this is needless. You could booby-trap the hell out of this castle and you know it."

"Coward."

The word was not the trigger for Remus that it had always been for Severus, but Remus reacted to it all the same.

"I don't trust my abilities. They're rusty after all these years. Besides, aren't you supposed to be the clever one? Mister Sectumsempra and all the other spells you invented? Go do it yourself."

"Tell me, Lupin, are you genuinely unable to do this, or are you trying to distract yourself from the horrible guilt you feel for not telling Dumbledore immediately when you saw Peter Pettigrew on the map three years ago, and knowing that, had you done your damn job and said something, he would have been caught, Black would have been cleared, and the Dark Lord would not have returned to his body?"

Severus counted to seven in his mind before the fist hit him squarely in the jaw.

"You bastard," Remus hissed, not meeting his eye. He turned and left, and Severus smiled, knowing he'd just got what he wanted.

* * *

"Hermione Granger."

All heads turned toward the middle of the Gryffindor table, where Hermione sat, staring at the Headmaster in the eye, her chin jutting out defiantly. Some derisive remarks came from the Slytherin table, but both Hermione and Severus ignored them.

"Miss Granger, you will stand when spoken to."

Hermione did so. Reluctantly. The Great Hall was silent now. Severus could hear a pin drop.

"Miss Granger, you did not present yourself for your recordkeeping appointment this afternoon with your Head of House. Much as you may miss the good old days when Gryffindor's rule breaking earned you nothing but House Points, such disobedience will not be tolerated here at Hogwarts. Given the current climate, it is more important than ever for all of us to know where we stand. Since you fancy yourself above the rules, we will merely complete your appointment here during the breakfast hour. Please step forward."

Hermione crossed her arms and did not move.

"Miss Granger," Severus said in a dangerously low tone of voice. "Step forward. _Now_."

Ron stood up beside her.

"Not you, Mr. Weasley," Severus said. "Miss Granger. _Now_."

Hermione stepped out of her seat, squared her shoulders, and walked toward the front. Her heels clicked loudly on the floor and echoed off the walls. Severus couldn't help but wonder if she'd transfigured a pair of sensible shoes (for what other kind of shoes would Hermione Granger own, anyway?) into heels just for the dramatic effect.

He found himself wishing that she had chosen a different subject about which to be self-righteous. This was a subject about which he felt very strongly, and it would be difficult to keep his composure. But he knew she wouldn't have chosen anything else. No matter the consequences to her personally.

And wasn't this, after all, their mission? To do what must be done, no matter the consequences to themselves personally?

At the moment, he hated the girl. She had no idea what she was about to force him to do.

He sharpened his glare. If they had to perform this disgusting panto, they might as well do it right.

"At long last you decide to join us, Miss Granger. Now," he said, flipping through some random bits of parchment before him, "Every student at Hogwarts is required to provide the following information to his or her Head of House: full name; date of birth; place of birth; and blood status. A hardly difficult task and one for which you should have participated at the appointed time. Now, then, you will answer the questions quickly and truthfully. Your full name?"

"Hermione Jean Granger," she said in a loud, proud voice.

"Date of birth?"

"Nineteenth of September, Nineteen Seventy-Nine."

Severus nearly did a double-take at that. He had always assumed she was one of the younger students in her year. The most mature ones tended to be the youngest. "Held back a year, were you? How disappointing. Your place of birth?"

"Wokingham, Berkshire."

"And last, but certainly not least, your blood status."

Hermione stood up straighter. "Muggle-Born," she said proudly.

"The rumors are true, then. Well, Miss Granger, that was not so difficult, was it? And to show the school's appreciation for your eventual cooperation, I am pleased to announce that you are the very first student to participate in our Blood Status Identification Program." He pointed his wand at her robes and non-verbally conjured a metal badge in the shape of an "M" on the lapel opposite the Gryffindor crest. "Muggle-Borns will wear these badges so as to better identify them. Studies have shown that Muggle-Borns, not being raised in our world, tend to suffer culture shock from which they cannot ever recover. They tend to have lower marks, fewer OWLs and NEWTs, and lower incomes. To fully integrate you into society, the Ministry and Hogwarts have decided that Muggle-Born students will be identified for special socialization programs.

"All students, when seeing one of their compatriots so designated, will take it upon themselves to assist with acclimatization to the Wizarding World. Professors will also ensure that Muggle-Borns are given the proper curriculum tailored to their special needs.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Granger, you may sit down now. All other Muggle-Borns will receive their badges by the end of the week. Until then, you may all look to Miss Granger as your shining example of a Muggle-Born who is receiving the assistance she so desperately needs."

Hermione quickly turned around and hid her face as much as possible behind her hopeless hair. It felt extra frizzy today. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling naked and exposed. She had never, not once, not ever, been ashamed of her heritage. Not even when Malfoy or others hurled slurs at her. She wasn't ashamed, per se, right now. But she still felt stripped and undone and terribly, horribly, utterly alone up there.

She knew what they were doing and why, and Professor Snape had warned her that this was coming. She knew it all, rationally. She just hadn't expected this farce to feel so painfully real.

"Mudblood," she heard someone hiss, followed by a chorus of jeers and applause. "Still think you're better than us?" asked another. This continued until Hermione completed the seemingly-endless walk of shame back to her place.

Harry and Ron were standing there waiting for her. Ron strode toward her and enveloped her in his arms, claiming her in front of the whole school. Any expectation of secrecy died in that moment: Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were together. Pureblood and Muggle-born.

After they separated, Harry approached her, his face deathly serious. He pointed his wand at Hermione's chest. "What's the spell for duplicating something?" he whispered.

"_Gemino_," Hermione whispered back.

Harry repeated the incantation. An identical "M" badge appeared in the palm of his hand. With another flick, the "M" on Hermione's chest became a "W." Harry affixed his own "W" to his robes, then glanced defiantly over Hermione's shoulder at Professor Snape.

Hermione's heart swelled with pride. This wasn't acting, not on Harry's part. They hadn't known what would happen if she didn't go to her appointment. They hadn't known Professor Snape would do this. She saw the intensity in her friend's eyes. She knew that look.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley," Severus said coldly. "And seventy-five from Miss Granger."

But it had already begun and spread out of control. Older students began conjuring "W" badges and placing them on the chests of younger students, as well as on themselves. Luna, seated at the Ravenclaw table, conjured a big, shiny, flashing "W" for herself. Other Ravenclaws hesitated for a moment before the desire to show solidarity with the Muggle-borns overruled the humiliation of copying Loony Lovegood. After all, Harry Potter had started it. Then the first Hufflepuff stood up, and was joined by the rest of her House.

On and on it went. Only Slytherin House remained stoic, though a few Slytherin looked like they wanted to join in. Stern looks from their prefects nipped that in the bud.

Severus looked around the room coolly, allowing most students who wanted a "W" to get one before he spoke. He pressed his wand to his throat and spoke in his most menacing voice.

"_Enough_."

Hundreds of students froze in terror.

Severus withdrew his wand and spoke in his normal tone. It was quiet enough that he did not need to speak any louder.

"One hundred points from each student who has defiled his or her uniform," he said. "To your classes. _Now_."

* * *

Hermione and Ron were holding hands when they reached the doorway to the corridor that led to Transfiguration for Ron and a free library period for Hermione. They found their way blocked.

"I'm not sure Mudbloods are allowed in this corridor," Draco Malfoy sneered. "Isn't that the point of your little badge?" He fingered the silver "W" while raising his eyebrows suggestively. "So we can tell which is which? Though the smell tends to give you away." He tapped the badge again, and it flipped to an "M" once more.

Ron roughly pushed Draco into the wall. "I don't know what you mean, ferret. Best get to class, yeah?"

Draco shoved Ron back. "Is that how it's going to be then, Weasel? Still haven't learned from your father's mistakes? Blood traitor's bad as Mudblood, and we keep them where they belong."

"Speaking of keeping people where they belong, how _is_ dear old Daddy doing in Azkaban? Is his mind totally gone? Has he started to piss himself yet?"

Draco's face hardened, but he calmed down and pulled out of Ron's grip. "You'll pay for that, Weasel." Without a word, he turned and walked away.

"Ron," Hermione started.

"Leave it," Ron said. He unpinned her badge and turned it into a "W" once more. "There. Just as it should be."

* * *

_See? Ron's not all bad. In this AU he grows up after Sirius dies, not after leaving his friends for dead. _

_I realize that I'm taking some things out of order from the books (such as when Albus went for the ring), but remember his is WILDLY AU. Chuck HBP out the window for this one._

_Severus's "Now" should be read in the same tone as Alan Rickman just before Harry appeared in the Great Hall in Deathly Hallows Part 2. So much in a single syllable. Amazing._


	8. Cats, Rats, and Wolves

_Hey... look what I found some time to do. Yay! Apologize for the delay. RL has been absolutely insane. Appreciate your patience. I can't promise this won't happen again, but hopefully the craziness has died down for a bit._

* * *

"Thanks to you, students are regularly changing their 'P' and 'H' badges to 'W' badges, and the Slytherins are making their 'P' badges more ornate and large than ever."

"Just as you wanted," Harry said defiantly.

Severus grudgingly nodded. "I wanted subversion, and I got it. So yes, well done you. How do you propose to follow this up?"

"Depends on what other despicable policies you implement," Minerva said simply. "For now, the battle of the 'W's versus the 'P's is sufficiently occupying the students. Sympathizers of Voldemort are no doubt hearing about it, and the parents of Muggle-borns and Half Bloods are reacting as expected."

"The Patil twins and Mr. Thomas have withdrawn as of this week," Severus reported. "I expect more will follow shortly. Mr. and Mrs. Creevey have made enquiries as to withdrawal, I will approve it."

"Where are they going – abroad?"

"Difficult to say. If it's anything like the last time, many will be going into hiding. Abroad is the safest option for them."

"Erm, Professor?"

All heads turned toward Hermione.

"What about, I mean, well…"

"Spit it out, girl, we haven't got all night."

"I'm worried about my parents, sir!" Realizing she had screeched rather than spoken, she cleared her throat and continued. "If it is safest to be abroad, then, well, should I send them abroad?"

Severus, Minerva, and Remus all exchanged looks.

"You haven't heard anything?" Severus asked Remus.

"I haven't heard _anything_," Remus said. "About anything."

"I'll contact Albus," Minerva said. "Provision must be made for their protection, same as Potter's aunt and uncle. Excuse me." She made her way to a quiet corner to cast the Patronus, and the cat dashed off to Albus.

"Wicked how you can talk with Patronuses," Ron said. "Can we learn?"

Remus shrugged. "Don't see why not. Could come in handy someday."

"What's your Patronus?" Harry asked. "In all the time you taught me, you never did show me your own or demonstrate it."

Remus hesitated. "It's… it's not important."

"But if you use it to communicate, shouldn't we all know what it is so that we know it's yours?" Ron asked. "Mine's a terrier, Hermione has an otter, Harry's is a stag, but we all knew that. And Professor McGonagall's is a cat. Is yours a wolf?"

Remus shifted his feet uneasily. "Something like that."

"Now, Remus, don't be shy, show us," Severus said. "Unless you're afraid."

Remus gritted his teeth. "I don't think it's exactly appropriate, Severus."

"Tut, tut, Professor," Severus said. "I suppose I will just have to tell them, lest they be confused. Though I daresay a demonstration is far more appropriate under the circumstances."

Harry looked from one man to the other. "Why don't you want to show us?" He sounded hurt.

Remus sighed and glared at Severus. "Very well," he said. He shut his eyes and concentrated. "_Expecto Patronum_!"

From Remus's wand burst a large, four-legged animal with a long, shaggy tail and pointed ears.

"Oh, so it is a wolf," Ron said.

Hermione gasped. "Um, I don't think that's a wolf, Ron," she said.

"… Blimey," said Harry.

Remus looked almost ashamed as Sirius's Animagus form danced around them.

"Oh," Ron said, realization dawning. Then he nodded and turned to Harry, smacking him playfully on the shoulder. "I told you they were. All alone in that house, never leaving…"

"If I may!" Remus interjected. "I would appreciate your discretion. You do understand that given my status already, there are some who would see this as confirmation that I am not to teach children."

"Oh, Remus, that's nonsense," Hermione said. "Dumbledore would never have minded."

Severus and Remus gave each other significant looks. "No, he never would have," Severus agreed. "Personally, I couldn't care less. Though I daresay poor Nymphadora will be most disappointed."

Ron's eyes grew large, then he settled himself more comfortably in his chair in anticipation of more Order gossip. "I like this," he whispered to Hermione.

"Now your turn," Remus said. "I've never seen your Patronus myself. I don't even know what it is."

"Bat," Harry, Ron, and Hermione all muttered under their breath together.

Severus sneered. "It is not a bloody bat, that'll be twenty points each for that."

"We're in the negative by literally thousands of points," Harry said. "Must you?"

"It is the Headmaster's privilege to remove points when he sees fit," Severus said.

Minerva had returned by now and rolled her eyes. "Twenty points to each of you. Severus, stop bankrupting Gryffindor just because you can."

"I always could bankrupt Gryffindor, this is nothing new."

"Your Patronus, Severus?" Remus asked, not allowing himself to be sidetracked.

"I don't communicate via Patronus," Severus said haughtily, "and thus her form is none of your business."

"Her?"

_Damn_.

"It."

Remus nodded slowly, comprehension dawning. "Ah."

"'Ah,' what?" Harry asked.

Minerva also had a look of understanding. "Miss Granger, Albus has dispatched some Order associates to take your parents to safety. They will be in contact with you shortly. Potter, your aunt and uncle will be moved at the same time. By morning, neither will be at home. This will, of course, mean that you will be spending this summer at their safe house, Potter, as your home is still their home."

"Damn," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Language, Mr. Potter. Now, all of you back to your dormitories."

"Not a word out of either of you," Severus commanded after the trio had departed. Minerva opened her mouth to speak, but Severus put up his hand to stop her. "I ask that you two respect my position in this school just this once and save the questions. No doubt you can figure out enough on your own. Albus always swore he wouldn't say a word, I will ask the same of both of you."

Minerva gave him a sad smile. "Of course, Severus. Come along, Remus. It's late."

Severus warded and soundproofed the door before throwing a vase against the wall.

* * *

The three cats sat silently, staring at each other. Finally, the largest one folded back his ears and, with the flick of his tail, walked away.

The other two sat there, expressionless. They knew what they had to do.

* * *

"No."

"I never ask you for anything!"

"You ask me for everything!"

Minerva sighed. "Three isn't enough. We need a fourth."

"And I should what - pop down to the village and pick up a kitten for you?" Severus sneered.

"It doesn't have to be a kitten, and in fact probably shouldn't."

"I can't just go buy a cat - it will look odd. Suspicious, even."

"Well I can't do it - I'm a registered _cat_ animagus. People will talk."

"You're a spinster - you're expected to get a cat. People will talk if you don't buy a cat to keep you company, in whatever capacity they believe."

He ducked as some curio or other of Albus's was chucked at his head.

"_Reparo_," he hissed. The object refused to repair itself. "Do you have any idea what that was?"

"No."

"Neither do I, but I'm sure it was important."

"If it was, Albus would have taken it with him when he left. We all know you can get a little 'destructive' when you're alone with your thoughts."

Severus's eyes narrowed. "Better destructive than frigid."

Minerva gave a catlike smile. "And how would you know?"

They stared at each other for a long time. Things had turned ugly very quickly. This had happened before, but never quite to this degree. They had few secrets between them, especially when it came to this. Celibacy; Minerva's by choice, Severus's by... well, not choice.

Finally, Severus straightened and hardened his expression. "I will buy the cat," he said.

Minerva looked regretful. "Severus, I'm sorry, I - "

"I'm getting the damn cat!" he spat. "Do with it what you will."

* * *

Remus staggered out of the Shrieking Shack the morning after the full moon. The passageway between it and Hogwarts had long since been sealed off, and so he had to take the road from Hogsmeade. It wasn't a bad walk, and Remus was grateful for the fresh air after twenty-four hours of the dusty air of the shack. He'd always hated it in there. But at least in there he would not hurt anybody.

Besides, Severus had said, deathly serious, that he would kill Remus himself if he saw or even heard about him leaving the shack during a transformation. So that also motivated him.

The road felt longer than usual. The morning after a transformation was always hell. His body was weak and shaky, and he usually found a few fresh cuts and bite marks on his arms. He couldn't quite walk straight; it always took a few hours to get his bearings after spending time on four legs. He felt hung over and nauseous and his head was killing him.

In many ways, meeting Remus the day after a transformation was worse than meeting him during one. Especially if he lacked cigarettes, which he did today.

Wormtail decided he'd take his chances.

"Rough night?"

Remus whipped around and nearly fell over at the sound of his voice. He jerked his head around wildly until finally landing on Wormtail sitting on the branch of a tree.

"What…" Remus took a couple steps back to see him better. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

"I always liked this road," Wormtail mused, swinging his legs like a little boy. "Nice and isolated, gets you to where you want to go, not too long, not too short. Just right."

Remus opened his mouth to speak, then shut it.

"Relax, Remus, if you were being Summoned, you would know about it." Wormtail jumped down, landing gracefully despite his girth and age. "Or perhaps you would not, because you haven't been Summoned yet, have you? Has that put you on edge just a tiny bit, wondering what the Dark Lord is up to and having absolutely no idea?"

He sauntered over to Remus, who backed up once Wormtail got within a few feet of him. He smiled. Not just anyone could scare a werewolf.

"I sometimes think not knowing is worse than knowing, don't you?" he asked, smiling his ratlike smile as Remus continued to back up, nearly tripping over himself. "I mean, if you know, you can prepare. If you don't know, you have to prepare for everything. And really, Remus, how well can you prepare for every conceivable outcome?"

Remus finally stopped backing up and drew himself up to his full height. "You don't scare me," he said unconvincingly.

Wormtail continued to draw closer, finally getting close enough to touch Remus, which he did on the shoulder. "Oh, Remus," he said in a singsong voice, "we both know that's not quite true, do we? I killed James. I killed Lily. I killed those Muggles. I killed Sirius. You know I could kill you too, right here where we stand. No witnesses. I could even take your wand from you and use it. You would be found, just another werewolf who'd done himself in. Really, Remus, you should be afraid. One of these days I just might do it.

"But what am I saying, of course I won't, not today. No. That wouldn't be any fun at all. I have things to do, and you have things to do. You have to get back to Hogwarts. You have to get back to your office, with its new desk. The one with the cast iron legs. It's sturdy, strong enough to hold your weight should you pass out on top of it. Which you have, often, since you started back."

Remus's eyes went wide.

"I imagine you also need to mark those essays on nonverbal spells you set the Sixth Years – Miss Granger's was rather overdone, don't you think? And it's clear she also did Potter's and Weasley's, so you should really take marks away from them for it. They asked her to do it so they could head out to the Quidditch pitch. Potter is helping Ron with his Keeper skills. The boy is just hopeless, but bless him he's just like his father - always trying to lift up his friends. Well, almost always. Anyway, they should get T's for begging off their work. Ron especially - his girlfriend of all people! Perhaps he's upset with her because she won't put out yet. He's got under her blouse in the common room a few times, but that's it. Tosses off in his bed afterward, third bed from the doorway, after everyone else has gone to bed. Poor sod.

"Minerva will need you to help her with your little, ahem, 'extra-curricular' activities as well. She is old, and you look old, and you need to work together. Poor Severus simply can't manage on his own. He can't contact Dumbledore most nights, even though he tries. It's really quite charming, how vulnerable he is when he's alone. The way he cries when he drinks, cries for _her_. We both know which 'her' I'm referring to. You only talked about it just a few weeks ago. Isn't it sad, carrying a torch for someone after all these years after I killed her?"

Remus stood stock-still as he processed the accuracy with which Wormtail had described everything. Wormtail could see the panic in his eyes, though he tried to hide it. It filled him with a great deal of pride.

"You want to know how I know, don't you?" Wormtail's eyes positively glistened at the panic in his former friend's face. "You wonder if I got in somehow, despite the fact that you and Severus personally sealed off every known secret passage. You wonder, if I did, how I got past your security system, and are struggling to determine where you are weak. And you are weak, Remus. You are weak, and your protocols are weak. I could get in. But the question is – did I?"

Remus forced a dismissive laugh. "There is no other way you could know those things."

"Perhaps not," Wormtail conceded. "Perhaps I did exploit a weakness in the system. I am rather good at doing that – exploiting weaknesses. James' for his friends, the Weasleys' for their poverty, and yours for… well, Remus, there are simply too many to choose from. But yes, I could easily have got in.

"But there is a niggling little voice in your head that doesn't wonder whether I know because the Dark Lord can see into Potter's mind. I could tell you. But why would I spoil the fun? Perhaps your little friend Potter hasn't told you that he feels something amiss in his mind – headaches, flashes of other moods, irritability, difficulty sleeping. He does have difficulty sleeping. He has for years. I've watched him sleep for years. It's… well, simply tragic a boy so young should sleep so poorly. But he has his cross to bear, as you have yours." Wormtail stepped back and walked around Remus in a slow circle.

"Smart of you not to go for your wand," Wormtail said. "You know that you can't kill me. Even if you could manage to move faster than me, which you could not, you can't kill a fellow Death Eater. That would blow your cover, and how the secrets of Hogwarts are being leaked will be the very least of your worries. Perhaps there is hope for you yet."

Once he'd completed a circle around his old friend, he stopped and smiled. "Oh, Remus, what the years have done to you. I do wonder how you survived sometimes. Unemployable, patchy clothing, old eyes. How does a werewolf make his way in the world without sponsorship?"

Remus averted his eyes.

"Mm hm, so the rumors are true. I had heard things. Interesting. Very interesting. Well, if your stint as a teacher does not work out…" he drew a clawlike finger across Remus's cheek before leaning in to whisper. "You know where to find me."

Remus violently shoved Wormtail away, leaving the ratlike man cackling.

"Oh, I am glad we had this little chat, Remus. I think we both have things to think about. Perhaps I'll call on you after your next visit. Or maybe I'll just show up and take you out on the town, just like old times. Really raise some hell – wouldn't that be fun? Maybe I'll even bring some of our brethren. They would love some fun. We could use some more fun in our lives." He put his hand over his mouth theatrically. "Oh, but I shouldn't say a word. Not until our Lord calls you and tells you himself."

Blowing Remus a kiss, he Disapparated. Remus counted to three, then tore up the road to Hogwarts faster than he ever thought he could run at his age.

* * *

_Oh, Wormy, you so crazy. So, how do we think he's getting his information?_

_The fight between Severus and Minerva kinda came out of nowhere. I think they know how to push each other's buttons (Minerva's about being alone, Severus's about being a virgin), they're on edge, and take it out on each other because they know they'll be forgiven. _

_In case anyone is wondering, my Patronus theory from JTB does _not_ carry over into this story. New universe, new rules._


	9. The Best Defense is a Good Offense

_A very happy (belated) Thanksgiving to my American readers. Celebrating nearly a quarter of a million hits on "Just to Be." Exciting._

* * *

"We have a problem," Remus announced.

"Only one? I'm afraid I must kick you the back of the queue," Severus said evenly. He stroked a brightly-colored calico cat on his lap like a Bond villain. The cat purred and cuddled closer. "Albus here just tells me that, though he has destroyed two horcruxes, he does not wish to ask Horace just how many horcruxes exist, or what they are, or where they are. He also advises me that the object attempted to kill them. That gives me at least fourt problems to deal with, times the total number of objects."

Remus turned around to find Albus and Bill Weasley sitting by the desk, looking grim.

"He will be impervious to Imperio and Veritaserum," Albus said. "I think we must try a new plan."

"Get Potter to charm the information out of him," Severus said to Remus. "That's his proposal. Get Harry Potter to _charm_ the information out of Horace."

"Really?" Remus asked.

"Really," replied Bill.

"Seriously? Are you serious? Have you met Harry? He's one of the most socially awkward boys ever to walk Hogwarts' halls," Remus said. "He has many strengths – "

Severus snorted derisively.

" – but this is not one of them," Remus continued, ignoring Severus.

Severus steepled his fingers. "Leave it to me."

Albus gave Severus a smile. "My dear boy, you are good at extracting information out of people, but as I said, he will expect this and will have made himself impervious to interrogation."

"I said, leave it to me," Severus said, rising. "And call the Weasley twins." He looked to Remus. "Now, you say I have yet _another_ problem to deal with?"

* * *

"I sealed off every single passage myself," Severus growled. He stalked through the corridors, the new cat on his heels.

"What's with the cat?" Remus asked.

"A gift for Minerva," he replied. "For some reason, the cat has rejected her and insists on hanging about with me."

"I see…" Remus said, confused.

"No you don't," Severus said. "But if I waited for you to understand everything, we'd never get anything done."

"I never figured you would pick out something so…"

"Colorful? You imagine I would have chosen a black cat?"

"Well…"

"I grow tired of this conversation." He pointed his wand at the cat. "You know what to do," he said.

The kitten rubbed up against Severus's ankles before trotting off.

"You taught the cat a trick?" Remus asked, suppressing a smirk.

"Yes. The same trick the other cats play – find the rat. Since you've yet to produce the new map, I need coverage on the nooks and crannies of this castle. You advise me that the security may be compromised. Minerva advises me that they needed a fourth cat."

"I thought she, Mrs. Norris, and Crookshanks had it all covered?"

"Apparently not, because, as you tell me, Wormtail seems to know the goings-on in this castle more intimately than he should."

"So now we have four cats covering an entire castle?"

"Until you bring me the map."

"I told you, Severus, it's been a long time."

"Have you even started working on it?"

"Yes! It's been nearly thirty years since we made it. It's been a bit rough getting the magic just right. I can't approximate, either, it has to be precise. So be patient. You can be patient, can't you? I do hear that you are good at waiting for things."

Severus read the subtext of Remus's comment, but chose to say nothing. He aimed his wand along the wall of the corridor and whipped it. A ray of green light covered the entire wall, then faded, leaving all the crevices illuminated in a brighter green. The number of crevices made the wall shine so brightly that Remus and Severus's faces were bathed in green.

"Fuck," Remus said. "And that's just this wall."

"So it seems."

"Is there… I mean can't we just seal… you know, with magic?" He gestured at the wall helplessly.

"Merlin help me for working with those who can't even get a full sentence out. The castle is sentient, Remus. You can't just slap some mud in the holes and call it a day. You can't cover these things up with plasters. The castle will reject them if not done properly."

"Even if it means compromising the safety of those who dwell within it?"

Severus scrubbed his face. "You don't just sit down and 'reason' with the castle, Remus. I can't just park myself up on the Astronomy tower and beg it to allow me to fix it. It doesn't work like that. If it senses a threat, it will protect itself against that threat. If not, it will do nothing. That's why your little boyfriend was able to sidle right up into Ron Weasley's bed, and why the Dementors never made it inside the castle walls despite having free reign on the grounds. The castle, for whatever reason, does not believe that its walls are compromised."

"So Wormtail's getting in another way."

"Possibly. Unless…" He stood there thinking for a moment. "He may be getting his information in other ways. From another source."

"You think there's a spy in the castle."

"Probably most of Slytherin are spies, but that's not what I mean. Wormtail knew things that we had discussed privately, in confidence, in my office."

"One of the portraits?"

"The portraits are bound not to betray the Headmaster, illegitimate though they may find him. They could not tell."

"So if Wormtail isn't sneaking in through the crevices, and we haven't been betrayed by someone inside the castle, how did he get his information?"

"There are two other possibilities, neither of which is palatable."

"Which are?"

"The first is that he's getting into the castle without actually breaching the exteriors, such as riding in on an owl or stowing away in a student's bag. I would say the latter is unlikely, but the little mouth breathers barely notice anything before them that doesn't involve food. If that is indeed the case, then the cats need to consistently be vigilant. They may even need to split up and each monitor one quadrant of the castle and, by extension, one House. I'll need to think on it; I'd hate to leave the common areas unguarded."

Remus nodded. "And the other?"

Severus gave Remus a meaningful look.

* * *

Hermione tapped her badge and flipped it back to the "W" without even looking. She hated being the poster child for this rebellion; it simply wasn't in her nature to go against the rules. It drew the wrong kind of attention.

Fellow students zapping the badge and flipping it to an "M" were common enough, and she could live with that. One could hardly walk down the corridors at Hogwarts without having some item of his or her attire vandalized in some way, especially by friends. She smiled wryly as she recalled Harry turning one of Ron's shoes purple, and watching him spend the entire day trying – and failing – to change it back.

Then there was the other kind of attention.

Hermione set her jaw as she felt the mud splash against her face. She closed her eyes and willed herself not to react. She choked back a few tears. Even her refuge, the library, had become a battleground at Hogwarts. Three more Muggle-borns had left in recent weeks, giving the pro-Purebloods more ammunition and encouragement in their attacks. It was all part of The Plan, she knew that, but it didn't make it easier. But she knew what she had to do. _Scourgify_ her face, then continue reading as if nothing had happened. Be mature.

Ron, however, was less inclined to take the high road. He stood up so fast he knocked over his chair, his eyes set on Draco Malfoy, whose wand was still aimed at Hermione's face, his face twisted in both pleasure and hatred.

"Ron, don't," Hermione whispered, but it was useless. Ron made a beeline for Malfoy, who immediately started to scramble out of his chair. He was too slow; Ron grabbed Malfoy by the lapel and shoved him in the stone wall. Malfoy let out a shriek not unlike that of a frightened ferret, which made Ron grin.

"This'll be illegal soon, Weasel," Malfoy said in a shaky voice. "You won't be allowed to cavort with your Mudblood girlfriend anymore. They'll throw you in Azkaban for it. You also won't be allowed to touch Wizards of a higher caliber than you. I reckon you'll make it only a few hours before they cart you off."

Ron slammed Malfoy into the wall harder, gripping him tighter. "And since when do Malfoys care about the law?" he asked. "Should you ask Daddy? Or hasn't he been Kissed yet?"

Malfoy's face twisted into a sneer and he shoved Ron away. "You want to make something of it?" he asked. He pushed Ron, who pushed back. "At least I'll have a home to go back to over the holidays. You? Not so certain. Shacks of blood traitors tend not to hold up against fire."

Ron made to charge at Malfoy again, but he was stopped by a firm grip on his arm. "Leave it," Neville said through gritted teeth. Malfoy straightened his clothing and cast a cruel look over to Hermione, who was cleaning herself up with Luna's help. With a final sneer at his fellow Purebloods, he stalked out of the library.

"What he said about my house…" Ron's voice trailed off. He turned to Neville, who released his grip but kept his eyes firmly fixed on Hermione and Luna.

"You should tell him," Neville whispered. "Maybe it's just Malfoy being Malfoy, but what if he knows something?"

Ron nodded.

* * *

"Christmas holidays are coming in just a few weeks," Minerva said. "You have to take this threat seriously."

"And if the Weasleys mysteriously and suddenly increase their security following Malfoy's little outburst, or suddenly go into hiding, that will draw attention to the fact that someone is filtering information to the Order," Severus retorted. "We may be on very thin ice, indeed. Somehow Wormtail is spying on us and could report it back. Then the Dark Lord may learn just how loyal Hogwarts is to him."

They were fairly certain his office was secure; however, just to be safe, they conducted their conversations behind _Muffliato_.Also, they did so in a broom closet on the fourth floor. Just to be safe.

"We've not detected any vermin, nor have we noticed any students with rat familiars who are missing toes," Minerva whispered. "I assure you, we would sense an animal within Hogwarts; our senses are that attuned. We stalk every night. Even if Wormtail were clever enough to avoid us completely – "

"Which he is," Severus interjected.

" – he would still leave traces. Scents, scratches, hairs. There has been absolutely nothing."

Severus crossed his arms and stared in the vague direction of the ceiling, which he could not see in the dark. "I just don't know if we can risk it," he said. "But tell Albus. This is his call to make, not mine."

* * *

"I'm not worth this," Hermione said as Ron had threatened yet another Slytherin. The attacks were becoming more vicious by the day. "You remember what the Headmaster said – we have to play along and simply fight the good fight."

"I fight the good fight by fighting for you," Ron said. "No one is allowed to hurt you. Messing with your badge? Fine. Throwing mud at you? Not fine. Cornering you in an abandoned corridor and shoving you against the wall? Really not fine."

"All the more reason to keep up our little subversive campaign. Ron, these people are turning violent. You are making yourself a target."

Ron smiled at her, a genuine smile. "I've been a target since the first day on the train when I befriended Harry. I'm not afraid."

Hermione smiled at him. "Please don't do anything stupid. Just… let me bear my humiliation. It's what I can do for the Cause: for Harry, for you, for everyone. That's my job."

Ron smiled. "I know what I'm doing, Hermione. But don't ever say you are not worth it. You are. You're worth whatever horrors may befall me for defending you. And I'd do it all over again."

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Harry asked. It was midnight, and he had been summoned to the Headmaster's office alone, save for Remus and Minerva. All in all, not that unusual. He had long since decided to just go with the flow.

"Potter," Severus said. "Stand still."

"Okay…"

"_Petrificus Totalis_!" Harry froze in place, then keeled over onto his front.

"Severus, honestly," Minerva scolded.

Ignoring her, Severus stood over Harry. No, _loomed_ over Harry. He smiled. Much better. "_Imperio_," he whispered. He flipped Harry over onto his back, locking eyes. True, that had not been _entirely_ necessary. "You will come to me immediately if ever a third party attempts to access your mind over any sort of distance. Once you have made contact with me, you will lose consciousness to avoid giving access to your position, your company, or your conscious thoughts."

Severus stood for a moment, wondering if he had caught every potential loophole. He wished he could command the boy to self-Obliviate, but he simply did not have the skill to do it. Severus would have to, once contact had been established. This, of course, meant that he would have to stay in close proximity with Potter for the foreseeable future – in the castle at the same time, and likely over the holidays as well. The thought was positively distasteful, but necessary.

He completed the spell, and Harry rose to his feet on shaky legs.

"What the bloody hell – " he started.

"_Legilimens_!" Severus cried, pointing his wand between Harry's eyes. Harry met Severus's glance, then collapsed in a heap on the ground. Severus felt himself being forced out of Harry's mind with a violent push. He nudged Harry with his toe. The boy was dead to the world.

"_Rennervate_," Remus said. Harry once again staggered to his feet.

"Excellent," Severus said. "Though it would not hurt to test again." He eyed Harry like a predator eyeing its prey.

"You've had your fun, Severus," Minerva said. "Potter, you will hold your tongue. We need to ensure that your mind is not being accessed by He Who Must Not Be Named without your knowledge. This is to protect the Order intelligence with which you have been entrusted. Now go to bed."

"Tell Miss Granger to come here when you do," Severus said.

"I can't go into the girls' dorms," Harry said, eager to refuse his Headmaster's command after the shellacking his mind had just taken.

"I rather imagine she and Mr. Weasley are waiting up for you in the common room," Severus said. "Simply tell her when you see her. I expect her here in ten minutes. Off with you." He dismissed Harry with a wave of his hand. Harry looked to Remus and Minerva expectantly, but neither rushed to his defense. Scowling, he stomped out of the Headmaster's office.

Severus ignored the boy's antics and instead turned his attention to the green flames in the fireplace. Fred then George Weasley stepped out. Severus prided himself on being able to tell the two apart.

"Messrs Weasley," he said. "You have, I trust, been told that Hogwarts will drop the multiple charges of vandalism and harassment related to your 'last hurrah' as students in exchange for your assistance this evening?"

The two nodded in unison. Severus rolled his eyes. Christ, they could be annoying.

"Very well," he said. "Once Miss Granger joins us, we will proceed. Do try not to have too much fun. This is serious business."

* * *

Hermione cleared her throat and knocked harder on the door. It was late, and she was tired. "Professor?" she called out. "Professor? Can you hear me?"

She heard lumbering steps and muffled cursing. The peephole on the door opened. "Miss Granger?" After much fumbling and muttering the door opened. Horace Slughorn stood in his dressing gown and nightcap. Hermione was the only student for whom he would open the door in the middle of the night. Well, her or Harry, but Harry was far less likely to rouse him in the middle of the night for any reason. She had become somewhat famous among the staff for having roused Filius Flitwick at four in the morning to discuss Charms theory the night before the OWL. Severus had been sure to remind her of it on more than one occasion in their clandestine Order meetings.

In Horace's hand was another nightcap, this one a goblet containing mead. "Good heavens, girl, what on earth is the matter? What could possibly require my attention at this hour?"

His words were a bit slurred, and not from sleep. He did not appear to have his wand. She tilted her head to the side.

"Well, Professor, I apologize for the late hour, but I was hoping I could ask you about – "

Hermione's speech was cut off by the howl of the Weasley twins as they charged out of their Disillusionment charm and into the Professor's study, each grabbing him by an arm and forcing him to the ground.

"What the devil?!" Slughorn cried, writhing on the floor like a turtle on its back. The Weasleys were strong, and they held fast. Hermione's face was crimson, and her face was flush with fear. "Miss Granger, of all students I would never, ever have expected such behavior from you!"

"_Petrificus Totalis_!" Severus cast the spell for the second time that evening. Horace Slughorn froze mid-writhe, petrified in a ridiculous position. Severus smirked. This would be one for the pensieve. The Disillusionment charm wore off, and he stood, tall and dark and dangerous, over Slughorn.

He crouched next to Horace's head. He aimed his wand at the old man. "You know what I want," he said. "And I intend to get it. So don't fight me, or I will make sure you feel every single thing I have to do to retrieve the information." He smiled, thinking of every time he had ever been wronged or overlooked by this man in his childhood. "_Legilimens_!"

Horace's defenses were rudimentary at best, and he hid his most incriminating memories in the most obvious of places. The idiot also kept them all together, which made it easy for Severus to find several memories that could be of use to him in the future – various black market and back alley deals, social outings with powerful former students who were known Death Eater sympathizers, clandestine liaisons with students in his office many decades ago. "Oh, Professor," he tutted as he raked through the old man's mind. "What naughty things you've done." He smiled. If all else failed, he now had a load of blackmail material at his disposal.

Then he found it. A young Tom Riddle, looking more like the man that had once wooed Severus to his side. A conversation late at night. Talk of dark magic. And horcruxes. And the number seven.

He squeezed every last drop of the memory from the man and stored it in his own mind. Severus's face hardened in rage. The old man had known for fifty years, and had never said a thing. The people whose lives could have been saved, for they had no idea that the Dark Lord could not have been killed, could have hardly been wounded. The fools who had tried to fight him or defy him. They never had a chance. And Horace bloody Slughorn had known all along.

He whipped his wand in the magical equivalent of running fingernails across a blackboard along Horace's mind. Even though he could not move, he could see the pain reflected in the old man's eyes. This would not only hurt for days, it would cause long-term memory problems. Good.

Having got what he came for, Severus rose to his feet. "_Finite_," he said, casually flicking his wand. The Weasleys still held him down. The man opened his mouth to protest, but Severus was quicker. "_Obliviate_," he commanded. Slughorn's face went blank as Severus erased all memories of their errand and instead told him that he had, as usual, overindulged and passed out on his floor. A typical Tuesday evening for the Hogwarts potions master.

With a final flick of his wand, Slughorn shut his eyes and went limp, immediately beginning to snore. Without a word, Severus turned on his heel and stalked out into the dungeon corridor. Hermione trailed at his heels, looking terrified, while the Weasley twins followed, high-fiving each other. They walked briskly. The news was bad. They had no time to lose.

* * *

_And that, my friends, is how you retrieve secret information from Horace Slughorn._


	10. Seven

_Happy new year! We've been going at a breakneck pace these last few chapters. Time to slow things down a bit, I think._

* * *

No one seemed to know what to do with the knowledge, least of all Severus.

He returned to his office, sending Granger back to Gryffindor tower with fifty points from Gryffindor (it really was a hollow, meaningless thing now, but Severus had to cling to the little joys in life) and the Weasley twins through their former House's floo. His footsteps grew heavy once he was alone, as the weight of the information bore down on him.

Seven horcruxes. Two already destroyed. Fleetingly, he hoped that the Dark Lord had misled Horace with his question and had actually created fewer. Severus knew enough about the vile objects to know that creating them caused irreparable damage to the maker. To do so seven times… was it even possible?

He shook his head. The Dark Lord was the consummate Slytherin, ambitious to the core. Of course he would attempt, and probably succeed, to make all seven. As a boy, he had clearly fallen victim to the biggest trap that could tempt a Slytherin – reveal his secrets in an effort to prove how much cleverer or ambitious he was than anyone else.

The Dark Lord had never desired friends. He'd had no one to warn him of the virtues of holding his tongue.

Had that been approval the Dark Lord had been seeking from Horace? Was that why he brought it up? Surely he already knew how to make one; hell, he'd already killed his father before Seventh Year, even Severus knew that. It was one of the Dark Lord's favorite anecdotes and devastatingly effective in drawing in recruits with their own parent issues.

The Dark Lord wanted no friends, that was true. But he, like every Slytherin – hell, every adolescent – craved praise. People often thought Ravenclaws cornered the market on desiring praise from authority, but the dirty little secret of the House below the lake was that they simply wanted it more badly than anyone else.

Could the Dark Lord have been so twisted that he truly believed he would win the approval of his Head of House, whose opinion likely mattered more than any other adult (though the weight of such approval was all relative)? Had that been why he would risk all in revealing his plan years before its culmination? Had he wanted Horace to stop him? Had it been a cry for help?

Severus almost laughed at himself. Ludicrous.

He sank down not into his chair but on the floor against the cold stone wall. He needed to feel something cold and hard beneath him, to remind himself that the ground really wasn't falling out from under him, that the earth was still turning and their quest was not wholly impossible. There was something to cling to, at least. The Dark Lord had apparently, in a fit of poor strategy, revealed his plan for immortality to his school teacher decades previously. He had gone on to make at least two horcruxes, probably more. Now that they had his number, literally and figuratively, they had a chance at deducing the identity of the other five. There was a chance, albeit a small one. Even Severus Snape needed hope once in awhile.

Headmaster Snape shut his eyes. It was early December, the Christmas holidays would soon come. He would have to crack down more on Muggle-borns in the New Year to appease the more hardline Death Eaters and Dark Lord himself. He had until the end of the year to somehow secure the future of the school. Time was running out.

* * *

Ron Weasley, for one, was dreading the holidays. There would be Harry, but no Hermione. There would be no Percy, but there would be Bill. Perfect Bill with his perfect job and perfect fiancé, who would no doubt produce perfect grandchildren very quickly. There would be Charlie, adventurous Charlie, with his exotic profession and daring escapades with dragons and men alike. There would be Fred and George, enterprising Fred and George, who had started one of the most popular and profitable businesses in Diagon Alley in the space of only six months.

Ron would hear about all of them, about the other sons of the family, the ones who had done something with their lives, who had done great things at such young ages. His mum would make certain of it, certain that he knew how little he had done compared with her five elder sons.

Even Percy Prat had landed himself a prestigious job with the Minister. While it was obviously a ploy to spy on Harry and the family, it was still a remarkable accomplishment for a Wizard whose age included the word "teen."

Ron… Ron had made Prefect, but only because Harry hadn't. And Ron was only on the Quidditch team by the grace of Harry Potter. Ron supposed that this had been his greatest accomplishment – his friendship with Harry Potter. Which Ron wouldn't give up for anything in the world, mind. But as for who Ronald Weasley was, what he could or would do with his life… he was at sea.

He looked down at Hermione, curled up on the sofa in the common room with her head nestled in his lap, sleeping. He had long since covered her in his robes – even with a blazing fire she was always freezing. He pondered what she had done that night, how she had helped uncover the number of horcruxes, vital to the plan and chosen simply for being herself – swotty and obsessive. He had never loved those traits more.

Ron lightly stroked her hair. Hermione did not stir. He smiled to himself. At least he had done one thing right, and completely on his own.

* * *

"Seven?" Remus sputtered as he fell out of the Pensieve. He whipped back and forth between Albus and Severus, as if hoping that one of them would admit that this was some horrible joke.

"Ah, so wolves reason abstractly. Remarkable," Severus sneered.

"Severus," Albus scolded. "Most likely there are six, with Voldemort himself as the seventh."

"No," Severus said. "If the Dark Lord said seven, he meant seven. He would not see himself as part of the whole."

Albus gave him a doubtful look.

"No, I mean it," Severus said. "You may understand him in many ways, Albus, but I understand him as a Slytherin, something you simply cannot do. He said seven, he meant he would create seven. If he were to state seven, but only create six, he would be failing, even in only his own eyes, since I am certain he did not have further intention of involving Horace in this plan. Why he did not Obliviate the man I will never understand. He left the evidence right there, almost as if daring for someone to find it."

"We know he created the horcruxes," Albus said.

"I don't doubt that for a moment, all I am saying is that, knowing the Dark Lord as I do, for him to reveal the specific details of a plan is out of character. He plays things so close to the vest. Perhaps he learned from this and decided to adopt that modus operandi for future use, I do not know. In any case, seven means seven."

"But he said 'split the soul into seven pieces'," Remus said, quoting the Dark Lord's speech from memory that he had viewed only minutes earlier.

Severus made a sound of frustration as his pacing, gestures, and speech became more animated. "Do you not understand? Of course you don't. He does not see himself as a vessel that carries a soul, as a being of this earth. He aspires to be a god. He does not wish to carry his own soul – it is a burden to him. Listen to him speak, watch him interact with others during and before the War, and you would have seen it. It _pained_ him that he has something that every other human being in this world has – a soul. Something so plebeian would be a weight on his head that he would always feel. If he could have sold it to the devil he would have done decades ago. He wants to be beyond humanity. Seven pieces, the magically significant number, no doubt is the number of splits that would completely rend the soul from his body and make him no only immortal, but unique to every other being in this world."

He sighed. "The ultimate ambition of man – to become god. And he believes he has found a way."

"But Voldemort does retain a piece of his soul," Albus pointed out. "That's how the magic works – you put pieces of your soul into other objects, but always retain a piece for yourself, albeit a smaller one as time progresses."

"He probably can't feel it anymore, though, can he?" Severus said. "He may retain it, but he no longer feels connected to it. Perhaps he has convinced himself that it is truly gone, and that he is free.

"Therefore, to him, the seven pieces of his soul are in seven different objects. He will not count himself."

Albus considered. "You have given me much to think on, Severus," he said, sounding impressed at his successor's insight. "At my age, I tend to forget that I, too, have blind spots. I shall think on this," he repeated. "But from home, with a generous glass of brandy." He bid them both good night, and left.

Severus stared at the closed door for a long time before he was reminded of Remus's presence.

"For what it's worth," Remus said, "I agree with you."

"A feather in my cap," Severus said, lacking the energy to put the bite into his tone that the remark deserved.

"I think you understand the Dark Lord better than any of us. Certainly better than I."

"If you're worried about saving your neck, Lupin, you needn't worry. There is nothing you can do to protect yourself. If the Dark Lord wants you dead, there will be no convincing him otherwise. Understanding him will not save you."

"Perhaps not, but then I died last June," Remus said sadly. "If not for Harry, I might have dived behind that veil myself."

"The part of the swooning romantic heroine really does not suit you," Severus sneered.

"All I am saying is, I think you can help Harry, and for that I will continue to listen to you."

Severus rewarded Remus's admission by meeting his eye. He was so used to being dismissed and only having his opinion considered after making a scene or throwing a tantrum. It was nice to see that someone agreed with his assessment and was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

He said nothing, silence being the kindest response.

* * *

It was as if he were watching himself from above in an out-of-body experience.

One minute he had been trudging up the stairs and into his room, ready to collapse on his bed and sleep already after a long day of studying (and a long evening of Hermione). Then he'd seen it, and the rage monster had taken over, and the next thing he knew Ginny was shouting and hitting him as he wrestled his best friend to the floor.

"What were you doing to my sister?!" Ron yelled as he sought purchase on Harry Potter's neck. Harry, for his part, was holding his own. He spoke, but the words did not reach Ron's ears. All he could see was them, and a bed, and the fact that they had been fully clothed and on top of the covers mattered little at the moment.

Suddenly a pair of unnaturally strong arms reached around his neck from behind and yanked him off his feet and onto his back. His head hit the ground with a thud and he could hear Harry gasping, and felt Ginny whack him on the side of the head then pin him down by his shoulders, and he wondered where she'd learned to do that, and there was a ringing in his ears, and he could only just hear Harry's defense from across the room.

"I love her," Harry rasped. "I'm not messing her around, I swear it." He heaved a few more breaths. "Please don't kill me."

Ron could positively feel Ginny's smile.

He did the only thing a man in his position could after receiving such a shock, and passed out.

* * *

"Grimmauld Place?"

Minerva nodded. "We can hardly send you to your parents' safe house, you will no doubt be watched. Grimmauld Place is the safest, most secure dwelling in Britain. Yes, even moreso than Hogwarts these days. Fewer spies, you see."

Hermione nodded. They all knew that Remus had killed Kreacher in the aftermath of what had happened to Sirius, but no one ever talked about it.

"Much of the Order will congregate and stay there for the holidays," Minerva continued, "so you will hardly be alone. All the Weasleys, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mr. Potter, Professor Lupin, and, of course, the Headmaster."

Hermione gulped, thinking of all the repercussions of what her Head of House had just told her. She tried not to blush.

"Will there be enough space for everyone?" Hermione asked in an attempt to stop her brain from whirring at the thought of her and Ron spending Christmas under the same roof with at least a dozen other people, all of whom would serve to distract Mrs. Weasley.

Minerva peered at Hermione over her spectacles. "Miss Granger, you will remember we are Wizards. We can transfigure the tiniest broom closet into the largest suite. We can expand the cellar into multiple rooms. We can extend the size of other rooms. So, yes, there will be plenty of room for everyone. Think of it as a manor house in a regency romance, and perhaps you will be a tinge less worried about the entire thing."

"Regency romance" was definitely the wrong phrase to keep Hermione calm about the whole thing. She clasped her hands in a hard grip on her lap, the tension focusing her and calming her.

"I suppose I will look forward to it," she said, a little too casually. She really was a terrible actress.

Minerva gave a knowing look. "Perhaps you will."

* * *

_Oops, did I just kill Kreacher? Go ahead, ask me if I'm sorry._

_You know my proclivity for stories with multiple people staying at Grimmauld together. Christmas is next. Goosebumps._


	11. So This Is Christmas

_What happens when you put several teenagers, a thirty-something virgin, a mourning werewolf, and Fred and George on the loose all together? Oh dear me..._

_Warnings for horny teenagers, horny adults, drunk adults, drunk teenagers, skullduggery, despair, and an all-in-all very angsty Christmas._

_And housekeeping notes at the end. Exciting!_

* * *

The wreathes around the house-elf heads was too macabre for even Severus's liking, but he had to admire Molly for the humor she could show.

Or maybe it was just the alcohol he had in his hand. He had lost count as to how many it had been. Couldn't have been that many, he still had his wits about him. But he felt relaxed, and he liked it.

The school was locked up, shut down, and all the student sent home for the holidays. After the last student had departed, he had single-handedly activated the high-level security wards around Hogwarts, preventing anyone (or anything) from getting in.

Now all he had to do was remain in relatively close proximity to Potter in case the Dark Lord decided to look into his thoughts.

Severus shuddered and too another drink.

* * *

Harry missed Sirius. He recalled the Christmas the year before, with his godfather in his house and in his life. Harry had spent every Christmas of his life without his parents. He didn't remember them, he couldn't miss them the way he missed Sirius. He felt the emptiness. He knew the size and shape of the hole in his life.

This Christmas would be a difficult one, that much was certain.

On the plus side, he would be allowed some alcohol. Silver lining.

* * *

"Poor Harry," Remus said.

"Poor Harry, indeed," Albus replied.

"I'm too bloody useless," Remus said. He heard a distant snort from Severus, indicating that he'd been overheard. Though Severus had a sense of hearing like a bat, Remus lowered his voice anyway. "I haven't been summoned once. Not once. I don't know what the Dark Lord is doing, only what Wormtail says when he decides to torment me. I don't know what he's plotting. I don't know who we can and can't trust. We have four bloody cats monitoring our perimeter…"

"Any more than four would attract attention, not just from spies, but from students as well, who could innocently pass the information on to the wrong people," Albus said. "You know that. An army of cats haunting the corridors would be odd even for Hogwarts."

"Of all the bloody things to be odd at Hogwarts."

"We don't have a spy," Remus pointed out. "Really. We don't know what the Dark Lord is thinking or doing. We are flying blind."

"Then we must make use of the time we have. Such is our curse," Albus said. "Bill and I have been discussing things lately. Bill," he called. Bill Weasley turned from where he'd been canoodling with Fleur near the fire, and came over. "Professor," Bill said. "Remus."

"I was just telling Remus here about our Horcrux hunt," Albus said cheerfully, as if discussing holiday plans or the weather.

"He seems to favor places of significance," Bill said. "His mother's house, for one. I've also been viewing some memories Albus has collected over the years. He seems to be drawn to wizarding history in a way most wizards are not. Therefore, we've decided he's likely hidden the remaining ones in famous places, institutions. We reckon he's got something stashed in a Gringotts vault, most likely in the vault of a high-level Death Eater. Probably not the Malfoys, since we already know Lucius had the diary. My hunch is that it's Bellatrix Lestrange's." He puffed up his chest, clearly proud at his insight.

"Can you get in? You work there," Remus asked, wondering if he should be listening to this. _Should Voldemort use Legilimens on Harry_…

Bill sighed. "I'm working on it. It'll take time. But in the meantime, we have been discussing others. Albus has researched some of Tom Riddle's experiences as an orphan, and has a lead on a cave somewhere that may contain something. We aren't entirely sure about that one; Albus will continue with his search. It would attract too much attention if I were to leave the bank for long periods."

Remus nodded. "So that's two more. What about the remaining…" He counted in his head. "Three?"

"I think he must have left something at Hogwarts, he has a strong attachment to it. But the Professor disagrees."

"A Horcrux would never be hidden in Hogwarts without my knowledge," Albus said.

From across the room, Severus let out another derisive huff and made his way over. "On what basis – that you would have noticed?" Severus was incredulous. "Do we need to play another game of 'Things Albus Did Not Notice Whilst Headmaster'? Of course the Dark Lord would hide something in Hogwarts. We simply haven't found it yet."

"There is simply no way – "

"Albus, between the budget, and the staff, and the students, and the parents, and the bad kind of parents, and the media, and the creatures, and the war, of course you wouldn't notice every little thing. I certainly don't. You forget that you're not the only Headmaster in this room, and that you don't have the unique experience that the rest of us lack."

Albus sighed. "I will concede that it is possible, but I believe highly improbable."

"What sort of pet will we be using to sniff out the Horcrux? Nifflers?"

"Oh, go have a drink," Remus said. "You're being annoying and useless."

"No, that would be you," Severus said lightly. "Perhaps some libations would do you some good as well."

* * *

Ginny flopped next to Hermione on the settee. "I've been plotting," she announced cheerfully.

"Oh?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"With Fred and George."

"Oh good God…"

"If our mum weren't… in the picture tonight… what would you and Ron be doing?"

Hermione's face flushed red, and that was all the answer Ginny needed. "I thought so. Harry and I, too. So we've worked out a little… solution that I think all of us will find agreeable."

Hermione was all ears.

"So."

"So," Hermione replied, sipping her virgin punch with her virgin mouth.

"You and I get to share a room again," she said. "Just like old times."

"Mm hm," Hermione said, not remotely certain where this was going.

"You know the boys are in the room directly below ours."

"Which boys?" Too many boys around all the time. Her hopes of catching some time alone with one boy were vanishing by the second.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Which boys do you think? Now, after everyone goes to bed tonight, I'll sneak out and head to the boys' room. Ron will join you in ours."

"Ron will never agree to that, and he'll make far too much noise," Hermione said.

"Then you go to the room, and Harry will leave, and Ron will be too dumb-struck by you being there to think of any objections," Ginny said.

"Doesn't it weird you out to think of us… you know… like that?"

Ginny shook her head.

Hermione took a nervous sip. "Good."

"I mean, if you'd rather not…"

"Oh, no, no, I like your plan," Hermione said, a blush forming on her cheeks. "I like it a lot."

Ginny smiled her Cheshire cat smile. "I knew you would."

* * *

"Alright, Remus?"

Remus turned around slightly without moving away from the wall he'd been leaning against, lost in thought. "Never better, Minerva," he said in a sad voice.

She stood next to him, leaning a bit against the wall, sipping her glass of wine. She did Remus the honor of not standing in his line of vision, to give him privacy.

"The first Christmas after I lost Dougal was the hardest of my life," she whispered. "It was all I could do to not turn my wand against myself."

Remus stood still. He knew that Minerva had been widowed years earlier, but that was it. She never spoke about her late husband. This, though, was not her husband. This was someone else.

"We were never destined to spend our lives together, and we had a tragically short amount of time with one another," she continued, her brogue thickening with each word. "The memories physically hurt."

Remus couldn't even nod.

"If it helps," Minerva said, still facing forward, "the first one is the hardest." Without another word, she drained her glass and walked away, the pain of her loss evident on her face to those who knew her well.

It didn't help, really, to know that. But Remus appreciated it all the same.

* * *

"Severus Snape, I am feeling seriously under-fucked."

Severus's head snapped toward Nymphadora Tonks, who had somehow taken up residence in the chair next to his in the corner. Close enough that they could talk without being overheard, but enough space between them to attract any attention. Not that anyone would be looking at them anyway – everyone was clearly fixated on their own thoughts and conversations. Or simply already too drunk to care.

He opened his mouth for a crushing reply, but couldn't find the words. He knew exactly how she thought. In a way. Could you feel under-fucked if you'd never been fucked? He shook his head a little. Too philosophical for this time of night.

"Hm," she said. "Too forward? I've been told I'm too forward. But I believe in going in for what you want. And what I want right now is…" She looked pointedly at his groin and back to his face.

"Good lord you're vulgar," he said, mentally kicking himself for his prudish response.

"I can get worse. Do you want me to get worse? Say the things that I want in explicit, clinical detail?"

Severus looked around the chair for his voice but could not find it.

"I'll come around your room later, after everyone else is in bed," she said in a low voice. "If you want me to come in, leave your door unlocked. If you decline, lock it. You won't hurt my feelings. There won't be any involved, just so you know. I want a fuck, and you're the only straight male in this house both old and young enough to do so." She got up and smiled. "Think about it," she said as she walked away.

* * *

"Is that… _Mum_ dancing on the table?" Ron asked incredulously.

George smiled. "He can see!" he cried out in mock elation.

"By jove, he can!" Fred said in an exaggerated accent.

"Why… how… why?"

The twins shared a mischievous grin. "Merry Christmas, little brother."

Ron gave them a dumbfounded look.

"Dad will be over to cart Mum up to bed soon, and she'll pass out, sleep through the night. Not be able to hear a thing."

"How could you possibly kno—" He gave them a look. "You drugged her!"

"Shameful!" Fred said. "Such accusations!"

"We would never drug anyone, least of all the woman who gave birth to us," George said, hand over his heart.

"A dagger through my heart."

"Though we may have made her drinks a bit more potent."

"Not with anything harmful, just with our latest invention."

"Marketed to the post-Hogwarts crowd," George said. "You lot are locked up in that castle ten months a year, we have to expand our horizons."

"Ambrosia, we call it," Fred said. "Wanted to call it Joyful Juice but thought we needed a more adult name. For our more adult customers."

"Takes any drink and makes it more…" George gestured vaguely as he struggled to find the right word.

"Drinky?" Fred offered.

"Exactly."

"So while Mum stuck to her two glasses like she always does – "

" – She'll feel like she had more like ten."

"Is that even safe?" Ron asked, aghast.

"So long as she doesn't try to fly or Apparate, of course." George smiled. "Ah, here comes Dad, just like clockwork." Arthur was coaxing Molly off the table like a wild animal, fearful of touching her. "Mollywobbles," he called in a singsong voice. The twins stifled a giggle.

"Like we said, Merry Christmas, little brother," George said, clapping Ron on the shoulder. "The night is yours now."

* * *

Long after midnight, Severus hesitated before making his decision. He shut the door.

* * *

Hermione waited for Mrs. Weasley to be carted off to bed before declaring herself knackered. Harry was not far behind her.

"Ginny's told you the plan?" he asked.

She nodded.

Harry smiled, blushing a bit. "See you at five."

* * *

Remus shut himself up in Sirius's old bedroom, wrapped himself in the sheets, pulled one of Sirius's shirts to his chest, inhaled, and cried himself to sleep.

* * *

Minerva sat in the library, gazing at a small portrait of Dougal that she kept in her pocket. It wasn't a wizarding portrait, which was really too bad because she couldn't speak to him. His eternal still smile would have to do.

She was careful not to let any tears get on it.

* * *

Albus spent the entire night pacing before the dying fire. Pacing helped him think, and he had a lot on his mind. He meditated on prophecies and pensieves, on hallows and horcruxes, on soldiers and spies. He thought of the decisions he'd made in the past year, and the cost of those decisions. He thought of the decisions he'd made in his life, and the immeasurable cost of his mistakes.

His hands twitched. Albus couldn't see any blood on them, but he could _feel_ it.

He paced and paced and waited for a Christmas greeting from his brother that he knew would never come.

He paced until the fire died and the world went to sleep and he remained in the cold dark room, ever pacing. Ever alone.

* * *

The door opened. The silhouette of a female body blocked out what little light was left in the corridor. It was late. His neighbors – some of the students, he couldn't quite remember which – had long since gone to bed.

"I wasn't sure you'd let me," Nymphadora Tonks said, shutting the door quietly. The click of the lock was deafening and final. Severus willed himself to remain calm.

He debated whether to mention that he doubted she'd even come, but knew it would serve no purpose. "You did offer."

She nodded. "I did." She took a couple of steps forward. "I take it we're in agreement, then? No strings, no attachments, no anything after tonight?"

Severus nodded.

Tonks wriggled out of her knickers with her skirt still on and stepped out of them.

Severus pulled back the bedclothes.

* * *

The door opened. The silhouette of a female body blocked out what little light was left in the corridor. It was late, and he'd been wondering where Harry'd gone off to.

"Hermione?" he asked dumbly, half from sleep, half from confusion.

"Hello Ron," she replied. He could feel her blushing from across the room. She shut the door. They were now in darkness.

He sat up and gulped loud enough to echo off the walls.

"Is this what I think it is?" he asked, his voice breaking just a bit.

Hermione nodded. Ron could just barely make it out in the gray light from behind the curtains.

"We don't have to –" he began.

Hermione cut him off.

"I want to."

"You're sure?"

She nodded.

Ron pulled back the bedclothes

* * *

"You arranged all of this," Harry said.

Ginny nodded.

"You cheeky little witch."

Ginny grinned and pulled Harry into bed.

* * *

Tonks climbed on top of Severus and straddled him.

"Two rules," she breathed, leaning down. "One: this lasts tonight only. Two: you don't hold anything back. Give me all you've got." She pulled back and rolled her hips. "Are we in agreement?"

Severus gulped then nodded, tentatively placing his hands on her hips, thankful for the darkness.

* * *

The dark made it easier to get naked. Both Ron and Hermione were secretly relieved.

They spent a long time just holding each other.

Then they spent a long time just kissing each other.

And then they spent a long time exploring each other.

And they punctuated it all with whispered "I love yous" in the dark.

* * *

He threw a hand up onto the wall, gasping. He could feel vibrations on the other side, but paid them no mind.

* * *

She threw a hand up onto the wall, panting. She could feel vibrations on the other side, but did not care.

* * *

By the third round and eighth position, Severus began to feel like he was getting the hang of this.

* * *

It took many tries, but once they connected, it was beautiful and incandescent and blinding.

* * *

And then…

* * *

And then…

* * *

And then…

Until the sun rose.

* * *

Hermione slipped quietly from the room at the appointed time and shut the door as silently as she could. She tiptoed along the corridor. She was right on time – Harry was slowly making his way down the stairs. He paused when he saw her, and shared a knowing smile.

A door opened behind them and they froze like prey who had been spotted by a predator. The door shut, and they heard two quiet steps, which stopped suddenly. They dared to turn around.

Tonks was making the same "oh shit" face as them.

They knew whose room she was leaving, and judging by how mussed her hair was, and the noises Hermione had heard, they knew exactly what she had been doing in there.

All three prayed for the ground to swallow them whole.

Finally, Tonks, as the oldest adult in the corridor, cleared the air. "I won't tell if you won't," she offered.

"Deal," Harry and Hermione whispered in unison.

They waited until Tonks had disappeared down the stairs before meeting each other's eyes and giggling. "Seems like we weren't the only ones to have an eventful evening," Harry whispered.

They both jerked their heads to the side as another door opened.

"Really, Miss Granger, you are getting yourself quite the reputation," Severus Snape drawled as he leaned in the doorway, dressed in his normal clothes. "Do you not recall our discussion on the importance of discretion?" Mortified, Hermione rushed up the stairs to her room.

Harry risked giving Severus a glare. "That wasn't very nice," he said.

"Oh, Potter, if you aren't going to put any effort into your comebacks you might as well not even try at all." With a roll of his eyes, he shut the door.

* * *

Breakfast was quiet and tense and the opposite of festive.

The teenagers at the table avoided the eyes of everyone else, save Severus Snape.

They fixated on him, on edge as to whether he would tell their secret. Hermione clutched her fork so hard it began to mold into her grip. Ron would not take his eyes off his porridge.

Resolutely, no one looked in the direction of a very hung over, very angry Molly Weasley. They avoided drawing attention to themselves from her as if their lives depended on it. Which they did.

Severus took stock of the situation and smiled a thin, snakelike smile. He stood up, his chair scraping the floor, the sound making Harry jump.

"Molly," he said. Molly gave him a one-eyed glare as she continued to hold her head.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were actually shaking now.

"Last night…" he began.

Hermione willed herself not to throw up.

"… I feel you should be aware…" he continued.

Harry prayed for the first time in his life.

"… though it is not really any of my business…"

Ron grabbed the table to keep from fainting. Ginny locked her ankles around the chair legs for the same reason.

Severus paused, drinking in the scene and squeezing every exquisite drop out of it that he could. Savoring it.

"…You have the best disco moves I have ever seen, and certainly the best I have ever seen performed at a table."

The sounds of relief made by the students were drowned out by the shrieking of Molly as she threw a teacup at Severus's head.

* * *

_And to all a good night?_

_Spiking Molly's drink is probably illegal, but don't worry - she was in no real danger. Her sons only did it because they knew their Dad would take care of her._

_One of Tonks' lines is stolen from "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy." Watch it if you haven't already. Half the cast of Harry Potter is in it._

_Complaints about the pairings will be referred to the note on my profile. You've been advised._

_Some odds and ends:_

_1. For my German readers, the amazing upac has begun to translate "Just to Be" into German and created a book cover for it. First twelve chapters have been posted and can be reached through my profile and favorites._

_2. The matter has been dealt with._


End file.
